Legend of Zelda: Beast Within
by Hikari no Vikki
Summary: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they perish in the shadows? Now rated M for Axel's language. You've been warned. :D
1. Prologue

Chapter One: Prologue

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 1

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If all this were mine, I would have made Kingdom Hearts use Hyrule as a world already. I don't own Zelda or anything else, and I never will, even I'm reincarnated. Twice.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

I had fun writing this! Especially the part at the castle. But really my favorite parts are where you show mystery scenes of the villains and you get to talk in code to see if other people notice what you're talking about… XD

* * *

Sora's head spun. They had landed on some soft ground near a fork in the road leading into a dark tunnel and another path leading to a house with a man sitting in front of a small fire. He couldn't keep himself up so he let himself fall back down to the soft ground. Whatever world this was, it sure wasn't going to be easy to get out of.

Sora looked around as he attempted to sit up another time. His head spun again, harder this time and forced him to lay down a second time. Then he looked beside him. There lay Donald and Goofy, also attempting to sit up.

His head took awhile to stop spinning but he eventually pulled himself up enough to see where they were.

"Hey guys, where do you think we are?" Goofy was the first to sit up after Sora. "Gawrsh, I dunno, Sora… it seems peaceful right now…" "Peaceful!" Donald was up now. "You just wait till we're knocked out and in a jail cell somewhere." Sora stood up, slowly. "I don't think we have a choice but to find out what might be going on here. I don't know what could be wrong…"

.oOo.

He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling of his room. _'Is there a place out there, full of adventure like Rusl said? Is there truly wide-open fields of green for miles that seem to have no bounds? I would love that place… very much…'_

Link's heart was a free one, a free one in a cramped farm boy world. He would stare at his ceiling for endless hours, pretending he was sleeping under a giant maple tree overlooking a wide lake.

The only time he felt free was when he got permission for Rusl or Fado, the head herder, to go ride Epona around in the forest. It was forbidden to the town's children, but Link could go in from time to time and be alone with his thoughts. Sometimes, though, he preferred the Ordon Spring than anything. The spring itself was a source of serenity and calmness to him, as it soothed him when he sat there.

Link ruffled his half spiked blond hair. Someday, he could feel it, aside from Rusl's offer to see Hyrule Castle, someday he would be on his own, and free of all limitations. That was what he lived for… freedom…

.oOo.

Sora had been walking along a dirt path towards what looked to be a castle. Goofy and Donald were behind him, marveling at the castle's intricate design.

Sora knew that night would fall soon after the twilight and that there wasn't any point in going on unless something magically appeared that looked like Heartless or the Organization.

"Hey guys? I think we should stop. It doesn't look like day will be coming anytime soon. Unless something happens that looks like danger, or anything else, I don't think that we should go any further." Sora had no idea why he was speaking like this, maybe it was the air in this place that was affecting him. But to his surprise, Donald actually agreed with him!

"Sure Sora. I agree. What about you Goofy?" Goofy just stared at the opening of another road.

Donald nudged Goofy on the shoulder. "Goofy?"

He pointed to a wall of darkness that was slowly creeping over the land. Creatures of darkness that were definitely NOT Heartless seemed to be leading it across and it did not look like something they wanted to get into.

"Run!" Sora cried. They wasted no time in doing so.

.oOo.

In one of those random spaces between spaces, two men stood. One was cloaked in shadows, and the other was actually wearing a cloak.

"So you think someone is going to try to thwart my plans?" said the one cloaked in shadows. "But, I would think it inevitable; it always seems to happen to me, specifically by a certain princess and that damnable hero."

The cloaked one grinned. Or so it seemed. You couldn't see it, but you knew it was there.

"Yes, of course. But not just that hero. A… follower of mine. He doesn't know that I exist." The cloaked one gave a low, haughty laugh. "Not that I'm supposed to exist anyway, but, rest assured, we'll help you get things under control. Our efforts, coupled with the Heartless, should be a rather interesting thing to see."

"And by 'our efforts', you mean me as well?"

The cloaked one laughed again. "Yes, my rescuer, I mean you. Speaking of you, how is that puppet of yours coming along?"

.oOo.

Somewhere far, far away, a sword clattered to the ground.

* * *

So far this is 25% complete. But, I still need feedback, okay? This idea sort of came out of the blue (I blame plot bunnies and KH crossovers) so I don't really know what I'm doing here (not like I usually do, eh?).

So I'm crossing my fingers that I don't mess anything up, especially my fave characters' personalities. Also for reviews. Wish me luck!


	2. Meeting with Link

Chapter Two: Meeting with Link

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 2

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: I really, really, really wish I did own it all, but I don't. Sorry. :D

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Rough sketch is complete. I am still debating about this being shouen-ai (Link/Sora) but it seems sort of pointless. The idea of Roxas visiting Sora in his dreams is appealing, and I'm too die-hard of a Midna/Link shipper to separate them. Well, in the small relationship that they seem to have in the game.

Also, take note that Xion will not be appearing in this story (because I don't know the full story behind 358/2 Days and I don't want to mess anything up) and Zexion and Lexaeus might have some slight personality issues. I do have Chain of Memories, but I haven't played Reverse/Rebirth yet and I only have the smallest inkling of Zexion's personality (this is fixed – I've gone to Kingdom Heart Wikia, and they're got a great description of Zexion's 'personality') and absolutely none for Lexaeus. If you could help give me an idea of how they behave (most specifically Lexaeus) that would be most appreciated.

Now that that is over with, on with the fic!

* * *

Link was just passing by the Spring that morning when he found them.

There was a boy with very strange clothing, spiky brown hair, and a soft but defined face. There was also a duck-looking creature with very sorcerous looking clothing, and a staff, and a tall dog-person in something only slightly less strange than its companions, and a shield. He decided to wake the boy first.

Sora awoke to see a befuddled young face with vivid blue eyes very much like his own, with blond wisps of half spiky hair falling into his eyes.

"Um…sorry?" He said, feeling just as confused as the other person looked; he had thought the boy had said something. Link's eyebrows furrowed. "I asked you who you were and why you were here." He didn't say more. Perhaps he was afraid to. Sora looked the other boy over. His clothing seemed, to him, mismatched, but somehow actually looked good and fit well over his slender-but-muscular form.

"I'm Sora. We… were sent here to…" He was trying to remember. Once he did, he quickly put a hand over his mouth. Then he recovered his composure and sat up. "I'm sorry but… I can't say. I wish I could." Link wondered just whatever purpose the boy could possibly have that he couldn't speak of.

"Perhaps you should come with me… you look a little lost."

Just now, Sora's friends were waking up. Donald was the first to awaken truly, and when he saw Link he panicked, squawking. "Hey! Donald! It's okay, he's a friend! I think…" The young man chuckled, standing up. "I mean you no harm. My name is Link, by the way." Donald kicked Goofy in the side comically, telling him to wake up.

Once he did, he looked around for Sora sleepily. "Hey Sora, where are we?" Sora, not having any clue, asked Link to answer for him. "You're in the Ordona Province of Hyrule. More specifically, you're nearby Ordon village, sitting in the Spring of Ordona." Goofy, now more awake, realized the speaker was not Sora.

"Oh hiya! I'm Goofy!" Link smiled. These strangers, while they looked a bit different, were hardly dangerous at all. Sora's mysterious reason for being there was the last thing on his mind now. "And I'm Link. Nice to meet you."

He helped Goofy up and then turned, looking down at the duck. "I'm assuming that you're Donald?" The sorcerer put his hands on his hips. "And don't you forget it!" he scolded. Link laughed. "You fellows wouldn't happen to have a place to stay now would you?" The group shook their heads sadly.

"Well, I think I can help you there. Or at least until you figure out what it is you're doing here." Now Sora's mysterious comment came to mind, but only for the briefest of moments, and then it disappeared again.

"I should be getting back to the village. Why don't you come with me?" Sora shrugged and looked back at his companions. "I don't see why not…"

Donald looked a bit suspicious of Link, but he agreed all the same.

As they walked into the clearing where Link's House stood, Link himself stopped short and cringed. "Oh no…" Sora looked at him quizzically. "Why do you say that?"

"Wake up, Link! It's morning already!" Link sighed. "I'm over here, guys."

The three children squealed once they saw him, and they ran over to meet him. Upon seeing Sora, Donald, and Goofy, they wee immediately interested. "Hey," asked the short one calmly, almost too calmly, "who are you?" Sora laughed shakily. He was beginning to see why Link had cringed. Creepy little pest… "Um, I'm Sora, and this is Donald and Goofy." He pointed to each of his friends respectively.

"Sorry for that," said the next tallest, "Malo's just bummed out because he can't afford the slingshot Beth's parents just put in their shop." The small one, Malo, muttered under his breath, "You can't get it either you know."

The taller one ignored him.

"You could just buy it, Talo." the tallest one, the only girl, said. The taller boy, Talo, scowled. "Do you see any rupees in my hand, huh? Why can't you just loan it to us Beth?" Beth sighed and shook her head. "You know I'd get in trouble for that… why don't you two just save up your allowances or something?"

Talo scowled again and Malo muttered something about "their allowances were terrible".

Link, a little more than slightly annoyed (A/N: Wow, that made absolutely no sense…), decided to make a break for it. "Um, guys? I, ah, have to go. They're um, coming with me." He quickly took Sora's hand and made a break for it, leaving the three in a rather confused state staring after them.

Once in the village, Donald attempted to catch his breath. "Are they always like that?" Link nodded. "They're good kids, but, well…" Link's unspoken words seemed to answer themselves in everyone's heads.

Suddenly, a voice called from above.

"Hey, Link! Come up here! I want to show you something!" Link looked up. "Oh, it's the waterwheel craftsman… Jaggle, I think his name is." Link climbed up some vines to see what he wanted. Sora and his friends followed. "Link – oh. You brought friends." Link chuckled. "They're a little lost, so I thought I'd help them out." Jaggle, though skeptical, nodded. "Always so thoughtful, Link. Well, don't you see that grass over there? I've seen you blowing it before and, um, I thought since it was in a spot like that it was important."

Just a little ways away was a patch of bird-shaped grass, which Link, Sora, and his friends hopped over to. "Hey, well what do you know? It's hawk-grass. It is interesting growing in a place like that, though." He picked it up and showed it to Sora.

"All you have to so is pick it up and blow, like this!"

He blew into it, and a beautiful song came out. A hawk came out of nowhere and landed on Link's ready arm. He looked around for somewhere to send it off for, and then spotted a bee's nest that he knew would need to be taken down. So he sent it off, the hawk colliding with the beehive, which fell to the ground and shattered. Sora grinned. "That's cool! Can I do it?"

Link nodded, and spotted some more grass on another platform. "Use that there. When you're ready, send the hawk off down the ravine." When he looked closer, however, he saw a monkey further down holding a basket in its hands.

"On second thought, aim for that monkey."

Sora picked up the hawk-grass and blew, the hawk landing on his arm just as it had done to Link. He searched for the monkey Link had pointed out, and grinned when he finally did. Aiming for the monkey, Sora sent the hawk off, which came back with the basket just as he'd hoped for. Sora caught it and gave it to Link.

"I think this belongs to Rusl's wife. We should take it to her," he said. The others seemed to agree.

They found her at the stream, staring forlornly into the water. When she saw the four coming, she immediately brightened. "Oh! Link! You found it! This cradle… it had it with me when I had Colin and when it disappeared I thought…" She stopped and shook her head. "But never mind that. Who are your friends?" Link looked back.

"I found them by the Spring this morning… they looked a little lost so I thought I would help them." She smiled. "You're such a kind young man, Link. Would you mind helping me take that back to the house? I just remembered that I have something to give you!"

They walked back to the house with her whereupon she handed Link the fishing rod Colin had made. "Do try to play with him every so often, all right? He looks up to you, you know." Link's cheeks reddened slightly. "I know," he said. She giggled lightly and entered the house with the basket.

"So, how about that fishing rod, huh?" said Sora, "Can we go try to out?" Link nodded. "And I know the perfect spot."

They walked across to the other side of the village behind the waterwheel house where a small dock rested. There was also a cat sitting by the edge of the river, staring at it intently.

"What's with the cat?" asked Goofy. Link shrugged. "Maybe it wants to catch a fish?" Then he laughed. "So," he said to Sora as he readied the Fishing Rod, "to cast, you just throw it back, like this!" With that, he leaned backward and quickly swung it forward into the water.

"Now see that bobber? When it goes down, that means a fish is biting, ah! Like right now!" He held the rod up high in the air (it didn't appear to have a reeling system) and eventually, with some patience, the fish was lifted up out of the water. "This one here is a greengill. It's about 10 inches. But, because I'm not going to eat it, I'll let it go."

He handed the Fishing Rod to Sora. "You said you wanted to try, right?" Sora nodded. "Right. Okay." Sora copied Link like he had before and waited. Link looked down and noticed that the cat from before was right between his legs, staring intently at the river. He blinked, confused, but didn't say anything.

Finally, a fish bit down on the rod, and Sora lifted it up, struggling with it at first, but finally kept it up and the fish flew out of the water. He laughed. "You know, even back home, I never really got to fish, and we lived by a lot of water…" Link smiled. Sora was about to let the fish go back into the water when the cat jumped right out of nowhere and made off with his fish!

He looked up at Link. "Oops?" Link shrugged. "That was Sera's cat. I'm going to go see what's with him…" Sora, Donald, and Goofy followed him.

When he entered, there was the cat, lapping up milk on the counter. "Um, hello Miss Sera. Your cat came back I see." Sera laughed. "Oh, yes, you must hear what he did, really! He caught a fish all on his own today! I still don't know how he did it… but it doesn't matter. Hey, why don't you and your friends have some milk? It's on the house, boys!" She laughed, and handed everyone a bottle.

"Hey!" Donald squawked, "Mine's half-empty!" Link chuckled. "Depends on how you look at it. Could be half full too, you know." Link looked back up. "Hey, um, Miss Sera? The kids were bothering me earlier about that slingshot and I, ah, wanted to buy it so they'd leave me alone…" She chuckled. "You got the money?" Link nodded, and dug in his seemingly endless pocket for a red and yellow rupee. "This is enough, right?" She nodded and handed the slingshot to him.

"You be careful with that, you hear?" He nodded. "Yes, Miss Sera."

They then exited the shop and headed for Link's House. A man met them on their way there, and while he saw Sora and his friends, he didn't comment. Instead, he said to Link, "I've just delivered something to your room… and I see you got the fishing rod, huh? Colin will be pleased…" he trailed off, muttering something before looking back up and saying, "Oh, well, have a good one!" Then he left.

Sora looked at the man, and then back at Link. "Who was that?" Link smiled. "Rusl. The man I told you about before." Sora nodded, saying a silent, 'oh' in response.

"I'm going to go get what he left for me, all right?" Link ran into the house, leaving them standing there to talk amongst themselves. "I don't see any Heartless yet, do you?" said Sora. Goofy shook his head. "No. It really does seem peaceful here, but…" Sora turned to him. "Something's… off?" Goofy nodded, but didn't say anymore because now Link had come back with a wooden sword strapped to his back.

"Cool sword," Sora said, grinning. Link blushed lightly and shook his head. "It's only wooden. It's nothing, really." The kids whom they had talked with earlier had noticed them, and were squealing with delight. Beth laughed as she flirted with Link, who resisted the urge to sigh while Sora resisted laughing as much as possible. It was quite funny.

"So you had enough money to buy it?" she asked him, giggling insanely. He rubbed his face, begging for the torture to end. "Um, yeah."

"Show us!" the boys crooned, "Show us!" Link sighed. "All right, all right, I'll show you…" So he showed them, Sora, Donald, and even Goofy trying not to laugh as Beth continued to flirt with Link and Malo and Talo bickered with each other.

Once he was done, Talo cried, "Man, you can use swords and slingshots and everything! I wish I could do that! You know, so I could teach those rascal monkeys a lesson! Maybe you could teach us?" Link tried _very_ hard not to groan. "Okay, I'll teach you," he said quietly. Sora was practically dying from holding in the laughter.

Link showed them, and Sora had to admit, he was a pretty good swordsman even if he was using a wooden sword.

Once the kids had stopped bugging him, Sora complimented him. "You're really good. Where did you learn?" Link chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Rusl. He's the only swordsman in this place… he fought in the wars from before, too, so he's really good." Goofy laughed. "Hyuck! Sounds like you look up to him!" Again, Link nodded. "Yeah, I guess so…"

Then, Talo suddenly cried out. Sora and his friends turned around, while Link looked up. There was a monkey, just sitting there, and an angry Talo standing only a few feet from it.

Then the monkey ran off, and the children after it.

Link gasped. "No! They're not supposed to go into the forest! Sorry Sora!" He ran after them, but stopped and looked back. "On second thought, why don't you come? You look like good fighters to me." Sora nodded. "Sure. Let's go catch them!"

They found Beth and Malo up a little ways on the path, but apparently Talo had gone on ahead of them. "Talo," Link cursed softly, "always trying to play hero… doesn't he know that forest is dangerous if you don't have a weapon?"

"Why is it so dangerous?" asked Sora. "There are monsters in there. Moblins, Bats, carnivorous plants believe it or not… I'm the only one allowed in here alone, but the people trust me. Talo's just a kid." Sora nodded. Donald and Goofy followed. It seemed to them that Link sort of looked out for everyone.

They ran across the bridge and through several paths, coming into the forest for the third time (Sora and his friends that is). They had to climb a few fences, but that was no problem for Link, Sora, and his friends. They passed by a spring similar to the one by the village, but knew they would have to ask Link later. They went through a tunnel and came out at a fork. Link decided to take the right.

They arrived at a shack where a strange man with a bird's nest in his hair sat on a log in front of an unlit pot of… something. It looked inedible.

"Hey, guy!" He called. Link walked up to him. "You haven't seen a boy run by here about this tall have you?" He estimated Talo's height for the man, who shook his head. But he did, however, point to the other side of the fork. "I think he went that a way. But! You shouldn't be running around these woods without a lantern! Just because it's daylight doesn't mean you're safe! Here, take my lantern."

He handed a lantern full to the brim with oil to Link. "Thanks," he said. Then man shrugged. "No problem. Just trying to drum up some sales, that's all."

Once he had the lantern tethered securely to his waist, they ran for the other path, Link slashing at what looked to be one of those carnivorous plants he'd talked about. "What is that?" Sora asked, stunned, but not afraid. "A Deku Baba. One of those plants I told you about." Yeah, he'd guessed right.

They found Talo's wooden sword-stick up ahead, and it made Link run even faster, Sora, Donald, and Goofy struggling to keep up. "Hey, Link! We know that you're worried but, we… gah!" He stopped to catch his breath. Link stopped too, and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, it's just… if I don't find him… and that stick he carries around, if he doesn't have it, something's wrong." Sora nodded. "He'll be fine. Can't you feel it?"

Link paused, but once he thought about it, he didn't feel too much off-ease. "I'm really sorry…" he whispered. Sora, having caught his breath again, put a hand to Link's shoulder. "Let's keep moving, shall we?" Link nodded, and they did so.

They found a locked gate, but the creature that had the key was on the _other_ side of the gate. "Dammit," Link cursed. Sora looked a little off-edge at revealing the Keyblade, but when he looked at Donald and Goofy, they seemed to think it was all right.

"Hey, Link, get outta the way for a second." Link did so, but he saw that Sora had summoned a long, rod-like blade with a yellow boxy handle that had a long silver chain at the end with three circles placed together, and several indents at the end of it that immediately said to him, 'Key'. "What is that?" Sora looked at him for a second, then back to the gate, which unlocked in a flash of light. "Keyblade. We'll talk later."

Link sure hoped so.

They traveled further into the forest to find both Talo and the monkey they'd seen from earlier trapped in a wooden cage. "C'mon," Link called, "they're just Moblins, we can take 'em."

But just as they reached the cage, four Shadows appeared. Sora gasped. "Link, stay away from those Shadows! We'll take care of them! You focus on the Moblins!" Link, seeing how creepy the creatures were, left them to Sora, who dispatched them as quickly as Link killed off the Moblins and freed Talo and the monkey.

The monkey ran off and Link took Talo and walked him back to the village in silence. He figured his parents were going to give him a nice long lecture anyway. No use in putting salt to the wound.

"Gee," he said softly to Link, "thanks for saving me. You know, we might 'a gotten eaten, me and that monkey… she tried to protect me you know. We got captured together… um, your not gonna tell my parents are you?" Link had this stern look plastered to his face. It softened just enough so that when he knelt down, it didn't look menacing, but he made sure Tao knew he meant business.

"Talo, there's a reason I didn't lecture you on the way here. Your parents will be told about this, do you understand?" Talo sighed and ran off, slowly at first, then he scampered out of sight, past a wary Rusl who spotted Link and his friends. He walked towards them.

"I'm afraid I didn't get your names earlier, young fellows, what are they?" Sora pointed to himself, and then each of his companions. "I'm Sora, and this is Donald and Goofy." The man nodded. "I expect Link has told you my name. You aren't going to cause any harm now… are you?" Sora held up his hands, a speech prepared, but Link stepped in. "They helped me save Talo. If they hadn't been there… I might not have made it back unharmed."

Or not at all, Sora thought.

Rusl nodded, clearly relieved. "All right. I was actually about to ask about him, Talo. My son told me about him going missing and not coming back since… such a task should not fall to you." He looked troubled. Link shook his head. "Perhaps it shouldn't, but I still feel… like it does." Rusl smiled. "Ever the protector. But tell me, have you noticed how strange the woods seem lately?" Link nodded.

"More monsters than usual, that ever creeping darkness…" And those creatures… Sora must know what they are.

Rusl seemed to agree. "I too feel uneasy about what may lie in wait… and Link, about tomorrow, you're leaving for Hyrule Castle. I think it is a good thing I have given this task to you… good luck. And return safely, my friend." Link nodded, clearly excited.

"If you're lucky, you may even get to meet Princess Zelda!" Link blushed a bright crimson. "Um… well, maybe not…" Rusl laughed. They parted without many words, and Link invited Sora and his friends into his home.

"Do you like it?" asked Link, since no one save for a few of the villagers had seen the inside of Link's home. Sora was amazed. "It's nice. And, you don't have to sleep on the floor so one of us can have the bed. There's no point."

Link looked hesitant, but realized he was fighting a losing battle.

"All right. How about you answer some of my questions, then? About those monsters and that key of yours?" Sora looked back at Donald and Goofy, who nodded slowly. They all sat down on Link's couch, Link on his bed, waiting. Sora, who was in the middle, began the story.

"This Keyblade," here he summoned it into his hand, "chose me as its wielder. Keyblades are the only things that can free the hearts that the Heartless have stolen. Other weapons work to fend them off, except wooden ones. That's why I asked you to stay away." Link was patient. "So those were Heartless?" Sora nodded. "But there are other types. Bigger ones, faster ones, and so on. Those were four of the weakest heartless, called Shadows, but even they could've hurt you badly if you didn't know how to handle them."

Link nodded. "It sounds like you've been doing this for a while." Sora nodded back. "Yeah, I have. But as long as I got these two with me, it's not so bad…" He hugged Donald and Goofy. Link smiled. "Must be nice, traveling… seeing the world." Sora started speaking again. "The Keyblade does tend to take me places. While they aren't my home, the people I meet change me, and our hearts are connected." Sora nodded firmly. "Hearts are everything in this world. Hearts, light, darkness… I just can't figure out why we're here… other than the heartless."

Link frowned. "Why are you telling me all this? Just because I'm curious?" Sora shook his head. "We trust you. Right, guys?" Donald and Goofy nodded. "You seem to understand more than others," said Goofy. Link leaned back, ready with one last question.

"So what does the Keyblade do, other than unlock the hearts the Heartless have stolen?" Sora paused, trying to think of a soft way of putting it.

"Each place we go to has its center, or its 'heart' in any other word. The Keyblade seals it up so that no more Heartless can come to take it and destroy it." Link seemed slightly troubled. He began to wonder just where this heart could be.

Thing was, so was Sora. But that was for another day. For now, they exchanged friendly experiences and laughed at past mistakes until one by one, they fell asleep.

* * *

Done! Be good now and give me a review! Remember, I have no idea what Lexaeus's personality is like, so I need some insight!

I have cookies? XD I had originally intended to post this next Tuesday, but I'm bored and I guess it couldn't hurt, you know?


	3. Descent into Darkness

Chapter Three: Descent into Darkness

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 3

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: I own a PS2, Gamecube, Twilight Princess, both Kingdom Hearts I + II, CoM, a boatload of other Zelda stuff, but not the franchises. Nope.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I've decided to grace you with another chapter early. Simply put, I was bored and writing chapters ahead is tedious. This might be a short chapter so sorry if it's not as long as you like. The next one will definitely be longer.

* * *

The next day found them sitting and talking in the ranch field like old friends, this is, until Fado the head ranch herder, called to Link that morning.

"Hey! Link!" Link, who had been engaged in a few entertaining conversation about fighting styles with Sora, looked up, a little irked, but not one to shirk his duties if this was something Fado really needed from him. He didn't mind doing a favor for a friend.

Fado finally caught up with them, and they all stood up.

"Hello Fado," Link said with a polite smile. Fado, breathless, just laughed and took a moment to catch his breath. Once he did, he stood up and smiled at Link. "So, almost time for you to get going, huh? So how 'bout we finish up early for today, bud?" Link shrugged.

"It's fine with me."

Link picked at some horse-grass by his feet and blew into it, a softer, more soothing melody coming from it than from the hawk-grass. A beautiful russet-colored horse with a white mane trotted up to him and he mounted. "Sora, Donald, Goofy! You might want to stand back, all right?"

"What you can ride horses, too, Link?" Sora said, grinning. Link scowled, another light blush creeping into his cheeks.

"Okay then!" Fado called, clapping his hands together, "Let's get this started!

So Link herded all of the goats inside the barn under two minutes. Fado was dumbfounded, and a little afraid, since Link often liked to chase him down like a goat if he was feeling bored and had done so, leaving Sora and his friends tears rolling on the grass in roaring bouts of laughter.

Link couldn't help but laugh as well.

"W-Well that about wraps it up here," Fado said with a shaky smile, "I guess you should go on and see the mayor."

Link nodded. Sora and his friends were already on the other side of the gate, waiting for him. With a happy laugh, Link charged Epona onward over the fences and gate into the village.

When they came past the ranch gates, there was a girl waiting for them. She was rather pretty, and Link's face was practically a tomato in two seconds flat. Sora raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. The girl called for someone, who came outside a little confused, that Sora assumed was the mayor, and then ran for Link, who dismounted.

When they finally caught up to the mayor, he said to Link, "All done herdin' for the day, huh? Well, nice work." He walked over to the mayor, who put an arm around Link and began speaking to him, but Sora, Donald and Goofy could hear just fine. The girl seemed to be petting Epona lavishly, and checking for something.

"The royal gift Rusl told you about is ready," the mayor told Link, "so you should get ready for your trip to Hyrule Castle. Now, the royal family requested this gift specially, so it's real special." Link laughed softly. "Yeah, I get it; it's special." The Mayor nodded. "Well, it… would be… bad if the Ordon representative were to be late for such an occasion, you get me, lad?" Link nodded. He understood that being late was never a good thing when it came to the royals.

Sora's attention shifted to the girl, who was whispering something to the horse softly.

"The path before you is a long one my sweet horse, please bear Link safely along it."

Then she appeared to notice something unusual. "Hey… what's this?"

Link and the mayor turned around to see what she had found. She looked at the horse's foreleg for a moment before turning to them. "What happened? She's injured, isn't she?" Link seemed to think about something for a moment and then he stilled. "Crap," he whispered to himself. Sora, Donald, and Goofy appeared behind him.

"What happened?"

The girl's harsh tone caused Link to cringe. Now he felt bad… he bit his lip, but not hard enough to draw blood.

The girl walked up to him, a rather angry expression on her face. "Link!" she shouted, "How could you! You were pushing Epona too hard again, weren't you! I bet you hurt her leg jumping fences or something…" Link sighed, but Sora tried to come to his rescue.

"Hey, we were watching him the whole time today! Nothing happened while he was riding her!"

Even the mayor was trying to calm her down.

"Now, now, Ilia, there's no need to get so hot with him…"

Ilia stamped her foot indignantly. "Father!" she turned on him, waving a scolding finger to his face, "How can you be so easy on him? You're the _mayor_! You should start acting like one!" Both the mayor and Link held their heads low, looking down at the ground. Link's eyes were trying to hold back tears. That really hurt…

"You poor thing…" They both looked up slowly. She wasn't speaking to them.

She was talking to Epona, who she was rubbing lovingly again. "It'll be all right, Epona. I'll take you to the forest spring right now. Once we soothe you in the spirit's spring, you'll feel better in no time!" And she walked off with the horse, leaving the mayor, Link, as well as Sora and his friends to stare after her.

"Wait!" called the mayor, but she seemed to not hear him. Or ignored him. He sighed. "Why, without Epona, that gift won't get delivered in time. This won't do at all…"

Link decided to go after her. Sensing what he wanted to do, Sora and his friends followed.

When they entered the clearing, a little boy was waiting there that they hadn't seen before, well, except Link. "Link," he greeted him, "are you going to see Ilia?" Link sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm… going to try."

The boy smiled softly, but then he looked back at Malo and Talo. "Maybe it's just me, but those guys won't let anyone through anymore…" He looked back at Link. "You think we could go see Ilia together?"

Link nodded, happy to have someone with him Ilia knew and trusted.

"Sure, Colin."

So this was Colin, Sora observed. He looked the quiet type, but he had potential to be a good fighter.

They approached Talo and Malo, who were standing there defiantly in the middle of the pathway. "Hey, we've been waiting for you, ya know, Link!" He clenched his fists while Malo danced around strangely. Sora raised an eyebrow and looked back at Donald and Goofy. They nodded, seemingly confirming the same fact they were all thinking; _this kid is nuts!_

"Yesterday was so much fun, getting chasing that monkey, ya know? I was telling Malo here about how we wanted to show it to him, but we let it go instead!" Link frowned. "That's not what happened Talo, you know that."

Talo blinked. Link didn't usually speak to him like that. Then he noticed Colin. He sneered as much as a little kid possibly could while still trying to not look cute. "Way to go spoil it by telling your dad… Nice job. I bet you're trying to see Ilia, huh? Well, you aren't gonna pass!" Link frowned again. "Boys… that's no way to treat Colin. He was looking out for you, and he didn't have to either. You should be thanking him."

Talo stopped for a moment. Now Link looked a little angry. He felt like he should stop, but was too excited.

"Well, we want to borrow your wooden sword, Link! Just for practice!" Link frowned a little more. "_Only_ for practice?" Talo nodded fervently. "Yeah, yeah! Practice! Just give it to us and we'll let you pass! Even Colin!" Seeing that he had no choice, he sighed. "You may actually get that talking to from me after all…"

But neither of them heard. Talo and Malo ran off to the scarecrow to go whack at it with the sword.

Colin tugged at his clothes. Link looked down. "Thanks," said the boy, "those two are always teasing me…" Link smiled and patted his hair over once. Colin frowned, looking ahead. "What's so fun about swinging something like that around, anyway? I hate it… It's scary…" Link brought him closer, and gently squeezed his shoulder.

"But when I grow up I want to be just like you!" Link was surprised. Colin wanted to be him? He knew the younger kids really liked him, but Colin… "I don't want to learn about swords or anything," he said softly, "but could you teach me how to ride a horse sometime?" Link smiled and knelt to Colin's level.

Colin, out of all of them, was his favorite.

"Certainly," he told him.

Colin smiled a smile so bright it was almost blinding. "Let's go see Ilia!" Then he ran off. "Hey, Colin, wait!" Link sighed and chuckled, and then ran after him.

They arrived at the spring, which was barred by a gate that wouldn't let the through. Ilia sneered, but softly. "If you came back for Epona, you can FORGET it! I won't open the gate until you change your attitude!" Sora looked confused. "Attitude? What attitude?" Link sighed at stared at the ground again. "That's what I want to know…"

Colin came up to the gate as he said, "Ilia, you don't know what happened yesterday…" Then he sighed as he wrapped his hands around the bars. "Listen, I don't know if she'll listen to me, but I'll explain about Talo and the monkey, all right? You crawl in here through the tunnel in the back while I do that, got it?" Link nodded. "You're a good kid, Colin." Colin's cheeks reddened slightly before he ran back to Ilia.

"Come on," he said the Sora and his friends, "I know where that tunnel is. Follow me."

It was around the back, between some bushes, and just a tad hard to get through, but they made it. Once the were on the other side, Ilia seemed a bit calmer and actually looked appalled at something, Link hoped it was because of the way she'd behaved.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew that though she was pretty, she wasn't for him.

"I had no idea," she said softly, "I hadn't heard the details about Talo's capture. But, Colin…" He pointed at something behind her, Link, and she turned around. "Oh!" she exclaimed quietly, and then there was an awkward silence. She walked over to Epona to try and pet her for lack of anything better to do, but Epona shook her mane, as if sensing she had something she needed to say,

Trying to be smooth, Ilia said to the horse, "So you still prefer your master over me, Epona?" Finally she sighed and looked up at Link with a sad smile. "Don't worry about your horse, Link. Fortunately it looks like the injury isn't too serious so… you two can go on together."

Her eyes darted this way and that and then finally they locked onto Link's.

"But, Link…" she trailed off, trying to think of better words. "Can you promise me something?" Link nodded. "I suppose. What is it?" She looked as if she had been rejected of something, and bit her lips for a moment, but eventually she spoke again.

"No matter what happens on your journey, don't try to do anything… out of your league, please?" Link smiled. She sure did try. He walked a little closer to her, and she looked hopeful, but he shook his head as if to say no. He did, however, kiss her on the cheek like an older brother would a younger sister, and that told her everything. "I'll do my best, Ilia," he said at last.

She smiled, realizing the finality of it all. "Just come home safely."

He nodded, and for one, brief moment, all was right with the world. That is, until a bunch of green Moblin Riders came in on boars as they burst through the gates. Not even Sora had a chance at stopping them.

Ilia was shot down, and Colin was sent flying. Link, Sora, and everyone else were knocked out before they could do anything.

A rather large, heavyset Moblin wearing armor that appeared to be their leader took out an iron horn, and blew into it, a large bellowing sounds echoing through the forest. He didn't see any more prisoners to take with them, so he felt it was safe to just leave.

A giant red hole in the sky was summoned, but it didn't do anything… yet.

It was at this point everyone started waking up.

"Gawrsh… they sure didn't seem friendly…" Goofy said, rubbing the back of his head. "Speak for yourself," Donald groaned. Sora studied Link as he looked around. "Link, you okay?"

"Hey, where… where are… no! They took Ilia and Colin!"

And then he ran for the gates. Sora and his friends got up and sprinted after him, finally catching up with him as he stared up in disbelief at… something. "What's wrong Link?" Sora asked. When he didn't answer, they followed his line of sight, and were astonished.

There, right in front of them, stood a giant black wall with golden markings on it. It didn't look friendly either.

Then, all of a sudden, a giant black hand reached out and grabbed them all, dragging them deep into the darkness. Once inside the darkness, Sora and his friends were cast aside. The creature that had dragged them wasn't interested in them. Or… so they thought. More similar creatures that were the same ones they'd seen when they first arrived that were definitely NOT heartless or nobodies had appeared, and were now interested in _them_.

But something was wrong.

As they struggled, they saw that the creature had tossed Link away from it and a light had begun to glow around him, and stretch to them, touching them. It felt… warm, and… safe. Then that light flashed dramatically and they were knocked out a second time.

What had become of them? Link had turned into a wolf, Sora, a lion, and Donald and Goofy were a bird and a turtle.

The creatures dragged the beasts off to… somewhere, unaware that something in the distance was watching them with a wide grin, not perhaps of evil, but certainly not of good.

.oOo.

Again, somewhere in that space between spaces, the same, cloaked man stood, another appearing out of the darkness and walking towards him.

"My, my… my precious flower… so, what do you think of his work?" The other man scoffed. "It was a fluke. He had no guarantee that they would be there with him. Perhaps that's why he's been fighting a losing battle all these years."

The taller one laughed. "Perhaps. But with us, how can he lose? And his heart… it might help us once the Heartless overcome him."

The other man seemed to frown in the darkness.

"So where are you sending me?" he asked the taller man. The taller turned to him. "Where you'll actually do some good. But, you must wait, my sakura petal, I'm certain they'll conquer the darkness in the forest and then, _then_ you may go. Oh, and try to track down one of those traitors, if you will, I'm growing tired of their betrayal."

Silence.

"Yes, Superior."

There was a venomous smile forming on the lips of the Superior though again it couldn't be seen due to the darkness.

"And as for you… do try not to do the same. Again."

One could almost see the laughter just by hearing the smooth amusement in his voice. The other man, if he was angry, did not show it. Instead, he simply left, leaving the Superior to cackle and then regain his composure a moment later.

"All is going to plan…"

* * *

Whew! Got it to ten pages! Okay, so it's not so short as I thought it was going to be, but those of you that have played Twilight Princess know how short a timeframe that scene is and I had to use a whole bunch of spacing and detail just to get it to page nine… ugh.

Oh! And if any of you catch the hints about the other cloaked man, feel free to let me know. XD This is so much fun… and if you don't know who the first guy is, shame on you. ;)


	4. Mysterious Midna

Chapter Four: Mysterious Midna

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 4

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. Are you waiting for it to just magically become my franchise? Good luck with that.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I need to upload something. Badly. This is for you, so read, and review. Thanks. As for the story itself… This is going better than I had hoped… and now we get to Midna! Sweet!

* * *

They all woke in the same place, in the same situation, at the same time.

Basically they were in a little dark cell, tied to the same stake in the ground, and they were all awake and confused.

"Gawrsh," said Goofy, "I wonder why we turned into our Pride Land forms…" Sora was wondering that too. "I told you we'd get locked up in a cell somewhere..." "Shut up, Donald," Sora shot off to his right. Link was busy trying to figure out how to get out of their cell when suddenly there was this loud, echoic, girlish giggle.

It was hard to see at first, but their animal senses picked up on a shape in the darkness, though Link could see it, and he growled as the form jumped over to them where it could be seen.

"I found you!" it cried. Yeah, it was definitely a girl.

"And why is that important?" Sora asked. The imp-creature looked shocked. "You can speak, too… what about your friend?" Link growled. "Yes, I can speak, now what do you want?"

She giggled again, girlishly. "Ooh, aren't you scary!" She kind of reminded Sora of Demyx, though much, much more intimidating.

"Eee hee! Are you sure you should be doing that? Snarling and glaring me?" Sora seemed a little confused. "Um, really, why is this relevant? We just want out." The imp giggled. "That's precisely why! I was planning on helping you… if you were nice." Sora nudged Link in his right flank. "Hey, calm down! She's gonna help us out of here!"

"I sure hope so." With that, Link didn't growl anymore, but he still didn't trust this creature.

"Eee hee! That's much better," she said, giggling again. Did it ever stop? "You humans are obedient to a fault, aren't you?" She walked closer and tried to touch Link's nose, but he avoided her hand. "Oops!" she taunted, "But you AREN'T human anymore are you? You're beasts! Eee hee!"

Sora saw that Link's temper was starting to rise. "Um, can we just get on with getting out? You said you were going to help us." He was smiling, or something close to it as an animal could get.

"Fine, fine! You just be good now, no need to bite!" To Link, at that moment, it sounded like a very good idea. "Hey," whispered Sora, "keep tabs on that temper of yours… I'm not too sure about this character either, but we need her if we're going to get out of here." Again, Link quieted, but his irritation still burned softly inside.

She created a strange sort of shadow ball that set them free, though the shackles that had held them remained on their ankles. While it was slightly annoying, they figured it was better than still being on the actual chain.

"You look kind of surprised," she continued, leaning down to inspect Link, and then floating back _through_ the bars, "I bet you're wondering where we are, huh? Well I'll make you a deal… if you can get over here, maybe I'll tell you!"

Link blinked. "Get over there…? How?" Sora nudged him again. "You are a wolf, right? Use your senses? Find a way out." Goofy had tackled a box that had hidden a loose patch of dirt beneath the bars.

Link sniffed it, and then dug in without question, opening an escape route for Sora and Goofy, as somehow Donald had managed to slip through the bars.

But, as soon as the three made it through, the imp jumped on Link's back!

"Get off!" he growled. She giggled. "That's not nice… I just saved you, you know." He bucked and wriggled. "I don't care!" Sora was slightly disturbed as well. "Um, yeah… why him?"

She grabbed Link's ears and pinned them back so that he stopped fighting. "Listen, I like you, so I think I'll get you out of here. But in exchange for my help you have to do exactly as I say!" She let go of Link's ears, looking at Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "That includes you, too."

She smiled a creepy smile. "If you need me, just give me a call. I'll try not to be too annoying." "Too late," Link muttered. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

She gave small shake of her head and just sat there, straddling him as if he were a horse. "So, are we clear? Good. So get moving!"

They ran down the corridor into an unlocked cell. There was a long chain hanging from the ceiling. Since Link was too angry to try to say much else other than insults, Sora asked the imp for him. "Do you think you could get that for us?" She shrugged. "Only if you say the magic word!" Sora refrained from groaning. "Please?"

She giggled. "Thank you!" And her _hair_ became a giant hand with latched onto the chain and pulled it down, Link letting out a yelp/bark at the same time.

"Warn me next time, will you?" The imp giggled again. "Funny, I thought I did…" Another giggle. They really did never end.

They went through the passageway that the chain had opened up, and found themselves in a rather wet place. "Smells kind of like the Secret Waterway in Traverse Town," Sora whispered. Donald and Goofy seemed to agree. They had arrived in a sort of sewer sort of place that only confused them even more as to where they were.

"I thought you were gonna tell us…" Sora trailed off, not wanting to finish, since she'd most likely brush the comment off. And she did.

"Not now, not now! Look, here! Use your senses to explore! It'll be interesting, for you at least!" She giggled. Link, being tired of her criticisms, decided to humor her. But what he found was startling. Sora, not having actually used his senses before, found that he could now see a spirit… man standing in front of them.

"Um, Link? You're seeing a man… in front of you… right?" Link nodded.

The spirit man sounded tired, as he was huffing and puffing and trying to catch his breath. "Can't… run… any… farther… I'll be safe here… right? What- what was that noise? Don't come near me!"

Sora blinked, and the spirit man disappeared into a floating ball of green-white flames. "What just happened?" Goofy and Donald shrugged. Maybe their new friend knew. "Sorry, not telling!" she giggled.

Figures.

Finally, after some running down the sewer pathway, she gave in. "Okay, okay, that was a soldier's spirit. With your senses, you can see spirits in this world, and it's actually a good thing!" Sora snorted, but didn't say anything. Spirits were the least of their worries if they encountered any Heartless…

"There are lots of spirits down here," she said, "they might know things if you listen to them carefully."

They ran down the pathway some more, and some Shadows, coupled with similar looking creatures appeared. The imp sneered with disgust. "Those things again! Ugh! You can kill them off, right? Or least scare them off…" Sora summoned his Keyblade, and looked back at Link.

"Try biting them. It might not taste good, but, hey… if it works…"

Link didn't disagree. He chomped and bit, and Sora and his friends did their thing. Sora and Link even managed a joint attack (similar to something he remembered doing with Simba in the Pride Lands) that killed several of them at once. The imp actually seemed impressed.

"Hey," she said, laying a single finger against the underside of the Keyblade, "what's this? It looks cool." Sora dismissed it from battle and the imp looked genuinely disappointed. "Not even one hint? You're so cruel."

Sora just laughed, and the imp seemed to get the idea that his silence was half a joke and half something he wanted to hide. She shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"What were those… other things? I know what the Heartless are, those things with the antennae? But the blob things? Those were weird." Sora commented. "Twilit Vermin," the imp answered casually, "They're like rats, really. And… Heartless? So that's what those things are…"

This went on for a while until they came across another chain hanging from the ceiling that raised a gate nearby and flooded the pathways with water. Then they could swim across a set of spikes they couldn't cross before.

After a bit more exploring, they found another chain that lowered the water again, and that left them thinking; okay, what was the point?

They found out soon enough.

When they came to a dead-end sort of area with bars in front of what looked to be a set of stairs, the imp floated again through the bars and taunted them as she told them to come over to her _behind_ the bars.

But Link, the quick thinker that he was, found a place to dig that they could follow, and once again Donald had managed to struggle himself through the bars. "You're lucky you're a bird," Sora said, half glaring at him with a playful grin on his face. "You're just jealous," Donald retorted, to which Sora just laughed.

Once they caught up with her, the imp once again set herself on Link's back, but now he didn't mind so much. It was actually quite… reassuring? If he were human he would have most certainly had a confused expression on his face.

As wolf he just looked like he was staring off in the distance, half-listening.

"You know," she said, "it looks like the spirits in here are all soldiers… could that mean something? Tee hee!" Link's right ear twitched. The giggling laughs were still annoying, though.

The next room they came to was HUGE!

"Whoa," said Sora, "now those, those are some stairs. Where are we, a castle?" The imp laughed. Perhaps he wasn't too far off. "You'll know once we get outside!" Outside? Yes! Fresh air! Link scrambled up the steps, but fell when a piece of stone broke off from under him and forced him to jump back.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, "I guess I have to do _everything_ for you… look, I'll help you get to the safe ledges, all right, just jump for me when I float over to them, okay?" She floated over to the safe part of the ledge and they Link and Sora dashed to jump it. Donald and Goofy didn't. Donald flew, and Goofy sort of twirled his way over the gap.

Unorthodox, but hey, it worked.

And so it went as they ascended the tower. The ropes distracted them occasionally, but once they realized some went down and not up, they made sure to look before they tried to cross them.

Finally they came to a door.

"We can't open it, though," said Sora, "we don't have opposable thumbs anymore." "What?" asked Link, confused. Sora shrugged and replied, "Hands." Link scoffed, but said nothing. The imp pointed to a series of ledges above them. "We're jumping those. Hang on to your tails, boys!"

She laughed, and Link and Sora proceeded to jump the ledges, whereas Donald flew up some more and Goofy twirled to each ledge using his shield to catch wind drafts.

When they exited the tower, Sora couldn't believe his eyes.

"So we are in a castle!" Link was silent. Could this possibly be Hyrule Castle? It looked so… wrong.

"So we did make it out," said the imp, "and look at that sky! Doesn't that bleak cloud of Twilight look beautiful?" Link's eyebrows furrowed. He had no idea what she was talking about, but something was definitely wrong about the air, the sky… the people. If this was Hyrule Castle, some very dangerous magic was at work here…

"What is this place?" Sora asked Link quietly. He looked across the strange, breathtaking world and frowned. "I think this is Hyrule Castle. Well… I made it, just not in the way I hoped." Sora blinked. "This isn't how it's supposed to be… right?" Link shrugged. "I don't know, but I highly doubt that it's supposed to be this way…"

"Stop whispering, it makes me feel like you're plotting against me or something!" She laughed again. "Look, there's someone I want you to meet, all right? We just have to get to that tower to do it!"

So they kept running/flying/spinning their way along (A/N: It's funny how Goofy 'runs' in turtle form XD) until they came to a spirit.

The imp put her hands on her hips. "There are spirits out here, too? Hmm. Why don't you check it out? Oh, by the way, if you haven't figured it out yet, they can't see you, hear you, smell you; whatever. To them, you don't exist." Link ignored her. Now he was just curious, so he used his senses to see and hear the spirit, which was yet another soldier.

"What… What are these monstrous birds? What is happening here? Ah, our poor Hyrule Castle!"

Link's ears shot up. He was right. This _was_ Hyrule Castle.

They pressed on. Knowing where they were didn't help things, well, not by much, and it certainly didn't help the fact that giant birds were attacking them like crazy. Even Sora and Link's joint attack could only get so many of them at one time, and they just kept coming, along with a new brand of flying Heartless that Sora called 'Air Pirates'.

To Link, it didn't matter what they were, he just wanted to get away from them.

"Come on, Sora! Let's just keep moving!" The imp giggled. "Those Kargarocs are certainly vicious!" The four of them were pretty much ignoring her completely at this point.

The imp helped them out a little for jumping across the poles when they were near the tower, but that was it.

They ran across the rooftops (again, in Donald and Goofy's cases, flew and spun) and finally made it into the tower. It was a long (unexpected) fall down to the stairs, but once they gathered their bearings they followed the stairs up the tower, and into a room where a cloaked figure stood.

"The Organization?" asked Donald. Sora didn't think so. "They wear coats. And they're black. That's more gray." Goofy was about to ask something more, but Donald shushed him.

The person turned around, but they could only see the mouth and nose of the person, and perhaps a faint glimpse of the eyes, and nothing more. The shape of the figure, or what they could see of it, looked female. Link started to growl, but then stopped once he felt the figure wasn't a threat.

"Midna?!" The figure asked, surprised.

The imp, apparently named Midna, nodded with a bitter smirk. "You remembered my name? What an honor for me…" The figure looked down at Link. "So this is the one you were searching for…" She looked up at Sora and his friends. "What about them?" Midna shrugged. "They were just there. The lion's got an interesting weapon with him, though."

There was a slight hint of a smirk on the figure's slender lips. "You think everything here is interesting." Midna giggled. "True."

Then Midna rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "As for him, he's not exactly what I had in mind, but he'll do." Link's eye twitched. "I'll do for what?" The figure seemed surprised that the wolf could speak. "Oh… so you can speak…" Link nodded. "Yes, and I'd like to know what I'm wanted for." The figure, who he decided was a she by her voice, smiled softly. "What's your name, then?"

"Link."

She seemed a little taken aback. "Perhaps he is the one you're looking for…" Then she knelt down and looked him over, noticing his chain. "You were imprisoned?" Link looked down at his shackle, then back up at her. "Yes, I was. But why…" He trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Your friends… were imprisoned, as well?" Sora, Donald, and Goofy nodded. "Yeah, we were." Sora said simply.

There was silence for some moments before she spoke again.

"I am sorry." Link stepped forward a little. "Don't be. It wasn't your fault…" She looked pained, as if, in some way, it _was_ her fault.

"Poor thing," said Midna, "he has no idea where this is or what's happened… heh." Link turned his head as much as he could to get a glimpse at her before he set it back into place. "Actually, I do know where we are… but as for why, would you care to enlighten me?"

Midna looked slightly surprised, and then up at the woman.

"So he does know. Well, don't you think you should explain to him what you've managed to do? You owe him that much… Twilight Princess! Eee hee!"

Still kneeling, she began to tell her story. Link, Sora, and his friends listened.

"This was once the land where the power of the gods was said to slumber. This was once the kingdom of Hyrule." Link nodded. "Go on, continue."

So she did.

"But… this blessed kingdom has been transformed by the king that rules the twilight… it has been turned into a world of shadows, ruled by creatures who shun the light."

Then, by some magic unknown to them, and image began to form in their minds of a great hall with several soldiers standing in front of a great throne. There stood a woman dressed in battle armor, holding a beautiful sword.

A wave of darkness flooded the room and caught some of the soldiers. The ones it missed seemed to be readying themselves form death, not a battle. To Sora, as he watched, that outcome seemed very likely. The woman only flinched, but kept her stance. She was the only one not prepared to die.

Then the large creatures they had seen before burst forth from the darkness, descending upon the soldiers like wild animals. The soldiers attempted vainly to fight them off, but many were killed in gruesome bloodbaths.

Still the woman stood, stock still, with a poker face of stone. Then, when all but the few soldiers surrounding the woman were dead, the smoke cleared, and a strange man stood, accompanied by a man Sora knew _very_ well.

"Saïx!" But he knew he couldn't be heard. So the Organization _was_ here… but he thought he'd dealt with them…

The king-like creature (perhaps this ruler of the twilight?) walked up to the woman, and Saïx followed. When they stopped, the king creature spoke:

"It is time for you to choose, surrender, or die." Saïx grinned behind the man. "Yes, yes, what a question. A question for the people of Hyrule, perhaps?" The king ignored him. Saïx, not used to being ignored, sneered. "Fine, fine. Be like that. Humorless bastard."

The woman wasn't listening to what he was saying. She had to make a choice.

So, the sword in her hand clattered to the ground, and the memory began to change. It shifted to the people of the castle town watching the castle burn, and the landscape slowly change around them without their notice.

Then they heard the woman's voice again, like a beacon of light in a sea of shadows.

"Twilight covered Hyrule like a shroud, and without light, the people became spirits. Within the twilight they live on, unaware that they have passed into spirit forms… all the people know now is fear… fear of a nameless evil."

And so the memory ended, and they were left there wondering many things.

The woman was turned to the window now, but then she turned back to them. "So though the kingdom has succumbed to the Twilight, I remain its princess…" Then she removed her hood and they saw her for what she truly was, a beautiful young woman, wearing a (probably dazzling, but it was just simple thing now) crown.

She really was a Princess.

No one spoke until she said, "I am Zelda."

Then Sora had a question. "Wait… why are you still… you know, solid? Why haven't you turned into a spirit or something like us?"

She smiled bitterly. "It's part of my agreement. I stay human, and alive, while I watch my people suffer. I am also a prisoner." Before they could react, she held up a hand. "And no, you cannot rescue me. Any attempt to escape, and my people's hearts will be fed to the darkness… or so I'm told. So I will stay here."

Midna fidgeted. "Well you don't have to look so sad!" She put her hands behind her head. "We actually find it livable! I mean, is perpetual twilight really that bad?"

Zelda frowned. "Midna, this is no time for levity. The shadows have been searching far and wide for you… why is this?" Midna floated in the air and turned her back to Zelda. "Why indeed?" Midna asked, with a light air of sarcasm ghosting her voice, "You tell me!" Then she giggled, again.

Then Zelda realized something and immediately became all business.

"Time has grown short. The guard will make his rounds soon." Midna sat on Link's back again. "You must leave, quickly."

So they did, but eventually Midna stopped Link by tugging on his ears. Sora and his friends stopped as well. "Not that way! The guard is coming! Boy, he's prompt!" She looked for anything, any place that could be used as an exit. Then she spotted one, the same way they'd come in.

"That way! Go!"

So they made it up and entered the outside once more. Only this time it was raining.

Midna led them to the edge of the roof, and turned to them. "So do you understand now?" Link scoffed. "Perfectly." Midna shrugged. "Well, I guess a promise is a promise… I'll return you to the place where you first stumbled into the twilight… but… are you really sure you should be going back?"

Link growled. "Why not?"

Midna grinned, and then transformed herself into fear-stricken copies of Colin and Ilia, before turning back into herself. "That was a cruel trick!" Sora hissed. Midna shrugged. "You do want to save them, don't you?" Link growled even louder. "How did you know about them?" Again, she just laughed.

"I have my ways… now, I'll be happy to help you… but… you'd have to be my servant, and like a good servant, you'd have to do everything I say!" Sora pawed at the roof tiles. "Not like we have a choice…" Link sighed. "She's talking about me. You guys… don't have to help."

Sora slammed his paws against the roof indignantly.

"No! We're helping you! That's that! And, you really think you can handle these twilight things and the Heartless on your own, without a Keyblade?" Link sighed. Sora was right.

"Well," said Midna slowly, seductively, "why don't you go back and think about it, huh?" Before any of the group could say another word, they were transported back, back to where they first entered the twilight.

.oOo.

Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were placed back in the Spring of Ordona, still in their animal forms. They took a good look at themselves and began to wonder exactly why they were still… like this. Was this Midna's doing?

Suddenly they heard her voice echo out from nowhere, saying, "Oh, I forgot to mention one thing…"

"Why's that?" Sora asked, though not sure if she could hear them.

"Though you may have left the darkened realm, you haven't transformed back into your former selves… and you won't anytime soon!" Then she laughed again, that annoying light, innocent giggle. "Now why is that…?" Another giggle. "See you later!"

As soon as they were sure they were alone, Link felt they ought to check out the village. "I want to see what damage those Moblins have done…"

But right before they could exit the gate, there was a familiar giggle.

"Ugh," Sora groaned, "you're still here?" Midna came out from under Link's shadow of all things, in a form stranger than before. You could see her shape, and some details of her face, but aside from that she was no more than a semi-solid shadow. "Did you think I'd disappeared?" she giggled. Sora nodded, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, kind of. What do you want now?"

She folded her arms. "I just forgot to tell you something. Don't think you can just run off and find your friends, because you can't. Just beyond that bridge, the land is covered in twilight. Last time, a shadow beast pulled you through, but if you want to go in again, you'll need the cooperation of someone _from_ the twilight… someone like me!" Another girlish giggle.

"Great," muttered Link, "so we really have no choice but to do what you say, do we?" She shook her head, smiling down at them. "Nope! Saving your friends will depend all on your actions, since, you know, you can never trust words…" She unfolded her arms and just floated there. "Now I want you to get me a sword and shield that'll suit me, okay? And hurry, hurry! While you stand here dawdling, the twilight continues to expand…"

Link twitched and growled. "Can we go already?" Midna giggled one last time and disappeared under his shadow.

So they were off.

They made it to the clearing, where some Moblins roamed, but Link and Sora made short work of them. Just before they were about to enter the village, someone called for them. They turned around, and looked, and finally saw a squirrel sitting on the ledge before Link's House.

"I don't know what you've come here to do, but if you're going into town, be careful! _They_ came and made a mess of the village and the forest… they kidnapped the children from the village… but you, you're different. You're not a bad thing are you? I can tell, because you smell like the trees of Ordon. If you run into any trouble, try talking to the animals in town. We animals understand one another, so you'll be fine!"

And the squirrel ran off, leaving them confused.

"Was that… a talking squirrel?" Link asked Sora. Sora shrugged. "It depends on how you look at it. I mean, we are animals, right?" Link just shook his head and turned for the village.

Right off the bat, Link could see Hanch, Sera's husband, staring at the moon with a wistful expression. "How could it come to this?" he asked no one. Link looked back at Sora and said, "You wait here, I'm gonna go check things out."

Sora looked hesitant. "Um Link, I don't think that's a good-"

"MON-MONSTER! You've returned for more, haven't you? My… my daughter… return her! And take this!"

There was hawk's cry, and Link came running on back, biting at the hawk once it started to see he wasn't alone. "Damn hawk… I guess I should try to sneak around instead, huh? Let's see, what to do…" This time when he went off, Sora came with him and they stuck to the shadows, slinking around into the grass beside the waterwheel house.

The mayor was there, and so was Jaggle, and they scooted as close as possible without being seen, and listened.

"… so, you still got that shield in your house, right?" said the mayor, scooting in close. He looked afraid.

Jaggle nodded. He looked scared too. "Yeah, should be in our storage loft."

"Good! Go grab it, quick as you can! Rusl got wounded pretty bad, so he can't go search for the kids. I'll take over for him." Jaggle looked appalled. "No! Rusl had a sword and he still got hurt! You can't…!" The mayor held up a hand. "I'll be fine. The sword we were goin' to present to the royal family should still be at Rusl's house."

Jaggle nodded. "Yeah? Well, I'll go get that shield, Mayor, you just wait here…" But then, Link stepped on a twig and they noticed something (most likely them) and the mayor panicked.

"No good! Run!"

And they ran off. "What happened to this place?" Sora asked. "Apparently the children were kidnapped by something… Moblins, perhaps, or maybe even those shadow beasts…"

Then Midna appeared again.

"Yes?" Sora asked, impatiently, "You need something?" Goofy nudged Sora. "I don't think we should make her angry, Sora…" Sora huffed. "Well she makes me angry…" Midna giggled again. "That's not a bad bit of information you heard, huh? Ugh... Look at that open window. This village is full of idiots. So... we should jump up there... but from where?" Then she disappeared, again. Sora sighed. "I really wish she would either stay or go. This is just annoying…" Link rolled his eyes and nodded. "I agree. But, it seems we need her, and I wouldn't have spotted that window before…"

"She's also right," said Donald, "how do we get up there?"

Link looked around and spotted the platform Hanch was on. "Hmm. If we could scare Hanch off that platform, we'd gain access to the waterwheel and eliminate the issue of that bloody hawk…"

Sora snorted. "I, um, think I saw a stone by the shop we could use to jump up to the roof… then we could sneak up on him and scare him."

Link smiled. "You're a genius, Sora."

Quick as a flash they jumped up to the roof and right behind an unsuspecting Hanch, who turned around, very surprised, and jumped off into the water. Sora looked over the edge. "He can swim… right?" Link nodded. "Of course. Most Ordonians know how." Sora seemed unconvinced, but after that they jumped up to the window no problem.

They landed inside the house, where across from where they were, they could see a wooden shield. Link nodded for them to proceed, and the jumped down, and back up to the shield's loft. Link tackled the wall twice, and once it fell, Sora helped him latch it to his back.

Then Midna appeared again.

"Found it! Found it! It looks...kind of cheap... all right, then... next is a sword. Hurry up and get one!" Once again, without letting them get a word in, she disappeared under Link's shadow. Sora was then struck with a thought that he wasn't sure he wanted to voice. "Um, what does she see when she goes into your shadow…?" Link stopped. He thought for just one second, just one, before jumping out of the window and not saying another word.

They splashed in the water and came out shaking (Donald, once again, flew, and Goofy was a turtle, water didn't bother him that much) and they sat and talk for a recap.

"Okay, we got the shield, now we need a sword. Where did that guy say one was?" Link thought for a moment. "Jaggle? He said there was a sword at Rusl's… and, if I remember correctly, there is a patch of dirt that we could dig into to sneak inside! It's perfect! If you weren't here, I don't know what I would've done… I'd probably still be running around, being chased by that hawk…" Sora laughed.

"You weren't supposed to laugh at that…"

So, after a bit more sneaking around, they had dug into Rusl's house, and found the sword just lying there on the couch. Sora and Link waited patiently for the inevitable, which did happen. Midna came from under Link's shadow, grinning wickedly.

"All right, so now you have sword… looks like you can do something useful when you concentrate! Kay, no more detours. I'm going to take you back into the twilight. So go back to the woods where you first transformed, okies?"

And she disappeared again.

So, carefully, they made it back to the clearing, killed off some more Moblins, and made it to the Spring. They were about to move past it when something called to them, something drawing them back to the waters…

_"Wait… come to my spring…"_

So they did. They waded into the waters, where voices of power swirled all around the air in a beautiful whisper-song. "_You… who have been transformed by the twilight… come… to me…"_

However, giant pillars of stone fell from… somewhere, and created a barrier around them all. "That's not good," Sora observed. Link snorted, and backed up by Sora, his eyes searching for anything at all.

"You don't say…" Then the whisper-song spoke again, _"Beware, a shadow being… it approaches…" _

A red, digital-looking hole (from Sora's knowledge) appeared in the sky, and a shadow beast fell from it. Sora and Link looked at each other. This was it? If so, this was cake. Link jumped and his jaws clamped on the beasts jugular, while Sora summoned his Keyblade and whacked the hell out of the creature. It threw them off for one moment, but Donald and Goofy finished it off with a joint attack of their own.

Once it was dead, the barriers disappeared, and a green hole appeared in the sky. No beasts fell from this one. "Hmm. Maybe it's safe?" Sora asked.

Link didn't know.

But, suddenly, the air grew dark and the spring began to glow, filling them area with a blinding, holy light. A sphere of light came up from the water, and shone, brighter and brighter until there was a flash of light that revealed… a goat, golden and shining, and obviously very wise.

"_O brave youths…"_ it began, _"__I am one of four light spirits that protect Hyrule at the behest of the gods. I am Ordona. The black beast you slayed was a shadow being. It had come to seize the power of light I wield._

"_My brethren in Hyrule have already had their light stolen by these fell beasts.__The entire kingdom has been reduced to a netherworld ruled by the cursed__ powers of darkness. __The blight will not stop with Hyrule. Before long, the entire world of light will fall into the hands of the king who rules the twilight. To save this land from the king of twilight, the lost light must be recovered. The three light spirits that have lost their light must be revived. There is but one who can revive them and redeem this land..._

"_You."_

Link looked a little offset. "What? Me?"

The light spirit nodded. _"You, and the Keyblade bearer. You, hero, still have not discovered your true power... those transformed by twilight usually cannot recover their original forms... unless... if you were to return Faron Woods where you were first transformed... if you were to revive the light spirit... there, by the power of the light spirit, you may find the means to regain your other state of being..."_

With that, the light spirit began to disappear, but Link still had more questions. _"In time, Hero, in time."_

And that was all that was said. The light disappeared and the spring returned to normal. The light spirit was gone.

Link stood there, more than a little confused. "Link?" asked Sora, "we have to keep going. Are you, gonna be all right?" Link nodded, but slowly. He sighed. "I guess you should be careful what you asked for… I wanted an adventure, just… not this one." Sora nuzzled his left foreleg.

"You'll be all right. Let's just go."

Link nodded, and they headed off for the wall of twilight. Once again, Midna appeared. "Oh, look… the Faron Woods you know so well… they're covered in twilight. You might not be able to come back here, so… you still want to go?" Link nodded.

"Of course!" She shrugged and 'hmphed' a little. "Suit yourself." She flew into the wall, and a few moments later, a giant yellow hand came out and grabbed them, dragging them once again into the twilight realm.

* * *

Gah! The ending… ugh. But we get to see a few more Organization members next chapter… one is just sort of… there, and the other is a pain in the butt.

No, it is not Axel. XD But he's a pain in the butt, too.


	5. Forest Temple

Chapter Five: The Forest Temple

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 5

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: (is reading Ocarina of Time manga) What? I don't own any of this! Go, shoo.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Okay, okay, before people start asking questions, like why the Organization is back, I'm going to say a few right here, right now (unless people have already started asking questions, to which, then, this is irrelevant).

**Why the Organization is back:** I'm working on that. The most plausible explanation I can think of at this current moment in time is that while Ganon was in creepy voodoo land, he came across remnants of the Organization and resurrected them, thinking they'd be his good little servants and help him take over the world. However… yes, yes, that might work.

**Will all the Organization people appear:** Yes. Too many of them have personalities I can't resist. Well, excluding Xion, who isn't really a member of the Organization in the first place.

**What about Drive Forms and Summons:** Summons are a definite yes, Drives, I'm not sure.

Why am I telling you this now? I was reading the very fic that gave me the inspiration for this when I saw a couple questions that I felt I might also need to address here. That's why. So, on with the fic!

* * *

Midna was fiddling comically with the sword and shield. She didn't know how to use them, apparently.

"Hmm! So these are the weapons you use in your world?" She grasped the sword handle and slashed it a few times across the air, Link having to duck so he wouldn't get his brains slashed out or anything. "You know, you put the shield on your arm, not your face," Link growled softly. She huffed. "So? You still think these things can slay the creatures of twilight?"

She threw them away from her, the shield landing on his face and the sword embedding itself into the ground. "Well, I won't use these, but I'll hang onto them for you!"

As soon as they disappeared, Link muttered, "Well, isn't that nice…"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy simply watched the scene, talking amongst themselves. "You saw that vision, right? I saw Saïx with that creepy king guy," said Sora. Donald nodded. "But why are they here?" Goofy seemed to agree. "Yeah, and didn't we take care of them?" Sora had no answers to any of these questions, save for an iffy answer for the last.

"Hey!" Midna called, "You three! Hurry up!"

They ran to catch up. "Where are we going?" Link was the one who answered, hopefully to save them Midna's interpretation of Link's words.

"The light spirit. It should just be up ahead. It's what making that sound…" Indeed, there was a long, low sorrowful sound coming from up ahead. It was hauntingly beautiful, but very faint and it sounded like whatever was making the sound was dying.

They rushed ahead until the same stone pillars from before penned them in again. A similar red hole opened up in the sky, and three shadow beasts fell down this time. Some tall Neoshadows rose up from the darkness to fight with them. "We're trapped again! Who do they think they're dealing with? No need to take these little pests one at a time… you can take 'em all at once, right?"

She disappeared, leaving them to fight. Sora took care of the Neoshadows pretty quick, and Link chomped down on the shadow beasts (he made a mental note to himself to ask Midna what they were) quick enough to take down two out of the three by the time Sora and his friends were finished with the Neoshadows.

However, the single remaining one left gave a loud roar that revived its fallen comrades. Link panicked. "Oh, great, so how do we kill these things?"

Midna sighed, coming back. "You nitwit! If you leave the last one alive, it's just gonna shriek its friends back into reality, all right? Listen let me help you out here, stay as still as you possibly can while moving around and get them in my force field. Spin around once they're all inside to cut me off."

Midna trusted him with that? Maybe it was just a simple order…

First, though he killed off one that was farther away than the other two, and waited for her to cast the spell. Once he saw it, he carefully gathered the other two into the circle, and spun.

Instant total ownage.

They too disappeared and left a green hole in the sky, but this time no one looked up. Sora whacked the last Neoshadow into oblivion, and looked over to Link. "Hey, that was cool! How'd you do that?" Link nodded his head in Midna's direction. "She did it. I can't do magic…" Sora brightened, purring. "I should teach you! Or, perhaps Donald should… he knows more than me…"

"Nonsense!' Donald said, "You can teach him what you know!"

Sora shrugged and turned back to Link. "I guess I can, then. Once we get our human forms back, that is. It might be kind of difficult for you to do it now."

Link nodded. "Right. Let's just keep going."

Soon they reached the spring, and the next spirit… or, what was left of it. It greeted them, or tried to, with a few weak notes of whisper.

'… _please, be careful… these woods have changed… the dark clouds of dusk cover this land… this drape of shadows is called twilight.'_

Sora nodded slowly. "Yes… we know this."

'_In the twilight, those who live in the light… become as mere spirits… it is a place… where the dark ones and evil creatures dwell… I am… a… spirit of… that light… blue-eyed beast.'_

There was a pause.

'_Chosen… keyblade master.'_

Another pause.

'_Look for my light… retrieve the light stolen by the dark beasts… and keep it in… this vessel.'_

A small, fruit looking object appeared in the air, which Donald took, clutched in his claw-feet. "I'm assuming that's the vessel?" asked Sora.

'_Yes… and the shadow beasts… they are invisible… use your senses… to find… them… the insects of darkness…'_

It didn't take very long to find them.

They were often sparkling with energy that one could see even without using their senses, although they did have to see them properly to kill them and take the light they had stolen.

Sora's favorite bugs were the ones Link had to dig up (they took turns killing them – it was actually quite fun, until these two, that is) and it was killing him to hold in his laughter from Link's frustration.

He couldn't be sure, but he was pretty sure Link was actually cursing, and he looked cute doing it… sort of. He was imagining the Human Link in Wolf Link's place, and that in itself was what he was laughing so hard at. Link, on the other hand, was NOT amused.

But, other than that (not counting another set of Messengers – the shadow beasts that Link finally learned the name of – and the purple fog that Link warned Sora not to enter – apparently anything purple in Hyrule that wasn't a weapon you were holding or a piece of cloth not inhabited by a spirit of some sort was bad), it didn't take too long to get the light essences before being transported back to the spring.

Midna was a little miffed at having the world return back to the light, but Link she glad all she said was, "What's so great about the world of light anyway?"

Sora wanted to say something awe-inspiring or heart moving (he vaguely wondered if Midna had a heart) but Midna disappeared far too quickly for any sound to come out of his mouth.

And then the light spirit appeared, as a giant golden monkey (did all the spirits appear as giant golden animals?) with a _really_ long tail that curved around the whole spirit's body.

"_My name is Faron,__ I am one of the spirits of light who dwell in Hyrule. I use the life force of the gods to protect this forest. O brave youth... in the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... that was a sign..."_

The golden beast paused a moment, and then continued speaking.

"_It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening. Look at your awakened form..."_

Link, just now realizing he had been returned to his human form, was wearing chain mail, wrist guards, boots, and most of all; a tough, sturdy green tunic. Sora, on the other hand, looked at his clothes in wonder and perplexed amazement. "Wow… I look like a sorcerer…"

It was true; gone were the baggy pants and zippers and hood, and in their place was a light, lacy material that felt soft, but strong. Over that was a black surcoat belted at the waist, red in color, with two Aegis Chains hanging from either side. His surcoat was decorated with yellow Heartless and Nobody emblems, and under it he wore black slacks. He also had a set of boots that were similar to his yellow sneakers from before, though minus the laces, and a Gaia Bangle on his left wrist. (A/N: I'll draw you a picture if you're having trouble visualizing it.)

Faron continued speaking.

"_The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to the ancient hero chosen by the gods... his power is yours. His is the true power that slept within you. Your name is Link."_

Link looked up. "Yeah, I got that…"

"_You are the hero chosen by the gods. Brave Link..."_

Link paled slightly. "That I think I missed…"

Faron turned to Sora.

"_Keyblade bearer… you have been given a tunic to fit your new journey, use it well, for it has powers your former garb knows not."_

Sora cleared his throat. "I can still use Drive Forms… right?" The spirit shook is head.

"_Not with these garments. But, you will learn new ones on your way that will suit that set of clothes. Now, __a dark power rests in the temple deep within these woods. It is a forbidden power. Long, long ago, I and the other spirits of light locked it away. Because of its nature, it is a power that should never be touched by any who dwell in the light. But this world weeps beneath a mantle of shadows, and so there is no choice... you must match the power of the king of shadows. If you would seek this forbidden power, then proceed to the temple in the forest depths."_

And so the spirit departed, leaving the four of them (five, counting Midna, who was probably still lurking in Link's shadow) to ponder their new clothes and situation (mainly Sora and Link, as Donald and Goofy remained the same).

Midna came up again from Link's shadow. "So _that's_ why you turned into a beast… because you're the chosen hero and all that!" Link looked away to his left, down at the ground. "Don't mention it." He grumbled quietly. Midna looked disappointed. "You don't like it?" He shook his head. "No, I don't really… mind… I just don't…" Link seemed at a loss for words. "You'd rather just wander as a spirit in the twilight for all of eternity?" Link tugged at his hair. "That's not what I mean either!"

Midna burst into a light giggle fit. Link sighed and glared at her.

"So what do you want to do? That temple sure sounds interesting…. Eee hee! I was about to head there myself, but seeing as I kind of need someone with solid hands to do it… yeah that kind of defeats the purpose…" Then she straightened up just a bit, but still had an air of light pompousness about her. "Look, you want to help your friends, right? Maybe they're in the temple, just waiting for you to rescue them… well, good luck Mr. Important Hero!"

And then she left. It seemed she came and went whenever she liked, or when it was most convenient to her, that is.

Link turned to Sora. "So the temple it is, then?" Sora nodded. Right. I'm not tired yet, or hungry, for some reason, so let's keep going." Link nodded and looked past him to Donald and Goofy. "You two good?" They nodded. "Right as rain!" said Goofy.

So they set off towards the path for the forest temple. They did have to retrieve the key to the gate from the guy with the bird's nest in his hair, but that was the easy part.

When they came to the purple fog swamp, that posed a little more of a challenge.

Link decided to take out his lantern (light, it seemed, kept the poison fog at bay) but the monkey they had saved several times before stole it. "Ungrateful little…" Link didn't say the rest of that sentence out loud, but Sora had a pretty good idea of what he was saying in his head.

Link, once he recovered his composure, looked back at Sora with a pained expression on his face. Sora was about to make a joke of it, but realized that Link was asking for help and was not in the mood for jokes.

"Umm… I guess we follow that monkey? It seems to be waiting for us…" Link looked at the monkey, then back at Sora, and then back at the monkey. "Sure, why not? It's not the strangest thing that's happened to me yet…" Sora snorted. "Don't say that, because eventually something will happen. It's like some unwritten law of the universe." Link laughed as the monkey carefully led them through the fog. "Or maybe it is written down somewhere and we just can't see it."

So they followed the monkey until it dropped the lantern and ran off.

"Check for monkey germs!" Sora whispered to Link, who just shook his head, though you could see the grin written plainly on his face. "Crap… all the oil's gone… thing's lucky I have a spare…" He took out a bottle of oil he'd gotten from Coro (the guy with the nest in his hair) and poured it into the lamp.

"Good as new," he said, nodding to himself and walking onward, Sora and the others scrambling after him. They made to the next area, where Link quickly dispatched the two Moblins, and Sora whacked the single Air Soldier among them into oblivion, and then proceeded to take note of the bridge sticking out of the ground. "Umm… why in the world…?" He flashed two quick, inquisitive looks towards Donald and Goofy, who shrugged.

Link, who didn't notice the bridge, called for them. "Come on! Whatever's in there isn't going to defeat itself you know!"

They came to a little shop (apparently run by a bird of all things – man this world was strange) and Link filled both of his bottles up with Red Potion. Upon trying to exit, the bird squawked at him, "Hey! Come back and pay!" Link searched through his pockets, but could only find a single rupee. Hoping it would keep the bird from squawking at him again, he attempted to leave a second time when the bird said, "Pay more next time! Cheapskate…" Sora and his friends laughed softly. Link's eye twitched. "It's not my fault Coro charged that much for a bottle of oil!" Still, they couldn't help but laugh.

They walked further on, and Link suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked, but then Link was attacked by a golden wolf they had not seen before and disappeared as it lunged through him. "Hey!" Sora called out, "Bring him back!"

There was a whoosh of wind that distracted them and brought their attentions to a hooded Organization member. "What do you want?" Sora asked hotly. The hooded man was silent, and then threw something toward him – a piece of paper torn from the book he was carrying.

"Read that."

In another whoosh of air, he disappeared. Sora was a little disappointed, but since he didn't know where the man had gone, he had no choice but to do as he'd been asked. He was used to having to do things their way, after all. He picked it up, and Donald and Goofy read it with his over his shoulders (Donald having jumped up and latched onto Sora's back to see).

It read:

_Diababa:_

_Diababa __itself is made up of two large plant heads that resemble Deku Babas and one massive plant head with a hidden eye inside its mouth. A single (explosive) hit will defeat each 'head' and reveal the body and a third head. Stun this 'third' head to reveal the critical point._

And after that the words were torn off to what looked like a second entry, but whichever member had given this to them clearly only wanted them to read this portion. Sora shrugged and stuffed it in a pocket he'd found in his surcoat.

At this point Link appeared again, on his hands and knees. He stood up, looking himself over before Sora tackled him to the ground.

"Hey, Link, where'd you go?" Link mumbled something Sora couldn't hear. "What?" Link lifted his head up just enough for him to clearly say, "Can you get off me so I can tell you?" Sora said, "Oh," rather sheepishly and got off Link, who dusted himself off a second time and told Sora where he'd gone.

"Really? So was he… still fleshy?" Link shook his head. "You're really a nut, you know that, right?" Donald nodded. "But he's our nut!" Link just laughed as they proceeded to enter the temple.

The temple itself was musty, like actual life hadn't been in there for a while. There was plenty of plants, thus plenty of oxygen, but all the dust and energy motes floating around… either there was going to be a lot of sneezing, or a lot of something else by holding those sneezes in.

The room was big, green, and the only source of light was at either doorway. "Something tells me," Link muttered, "this temple is going to be very, very dark." Sora was more or less inclined to agree. However, at the end of the room was the very same monkey that had stolen Link's lantern! "Um… should we save it?" Donald gave Link one of those looks and Link's attitude quickly changed.

So they killed off the monsters, with a new one showing up in place of the Heartless.

"Creepers?" Sora asked, holing up the last one comically by one foot as it wriggled to get free. "Now I know for sure the Organization has something to do with all this." Link examined the creature. "A Creeper? Well, it doesn't look like a Heartless…" Sora nodded. "That's because this is a Nobody. When someone with a strong heart becomes a Heartless, the shell that's left behind becomes a Nobody." Link nodded, still examining the creature, which fell fro Sora's grip and was destroyed by Donald. "And what, pray tell, are the Organization?" Sora's eyes narrowed.

"A group of thirteen powerful Nobodies. I thought we had taken care of them, but somehow… they're back."

Link nodded. "More about the details later. I'd like to get out of here by nightfall, at least." So they killed off the spiders on the vines and followed the monkey they'd freed and entered the next room.

.oOo.

A cloaked man stood overlooking a purple swamp area. "I suppose that this'll do… now, for that traitor."

He turned back to the door, but heard a sloshing behind him,

He scoffed, and looked behind him into the eyes of a giant plant thing. Beneath the darkness, there was a smile. "Oh, this will be fun."

.oOo.

"Stupid bridge…" muttered Sora. "Actually," quipped Link, "it was the baboon, not the bridge. The bridge just happened to be the object of his anger." Sora looked at Link, slightly miffed. "We still have to get across that thing…" Link nodded. "Yeah. And I'm sure we'll find someone or something inside this temple that'll help us get there."

Sora was amazed at how much faith Link could put on his instinct. Talk about following your heart. Granted, all they had was a map, no compass, and magic.

From that room they went left, using the monkey as a way to get across. The next room was dark, very dark, so Link lit the oil in his lantern and took the left passageway. A Bombling surprised him and he whacked at it until it flew off into the rocks beyond and blew up a new path. "Um… that was planned," he said, laughing. Sora nodded. "Right."

The pots ahead held more rupees and a strange chicken looking creature with a human head.

"Wow, I'm sure glad to be out of there… once I got in I couldn't get back out…" Sora stooped down to its level and tilted his head. "Hmm. I really can't see why…" Donald whacked him on the back of his head and he quickly stood back up. "You were a big help," the thing continued, "thanks. And, um, I've been looking for something, see? You must be looking for something too, right? Shall we work together, adventurer?" Link blinked.

"Um… sure." The little bird-thing flapped excitedly. "Yes! I'm much more useful than I look, mind you! I can warp you out of here if you want to leave, and then back again! Oh, and my name is Ooccoo." Then she wriggled herself into Link's magicked pouch, and that was that.

"Nice to know we can get out of here if things start to get bad…" Sora muttered. Link didn't say much as they proceeded forward through the tunnels and the room beyond. It took Link less than five minutes to find the key they needed to proceed (though by the time he came back, Sora had already unlocked it with the keyblade, leaving Link to just toss the key into the water, clocking the spider he'd half slain from before) and they walked into another room where they had to save a monkey in distress.

Some Bokoblins attacked them, but it wasn't too hard to defeat them. They made their way back to the main room and used the other monkey as a way to get across to the other side of the room.

The next room involved three things; a newer though still weak type of carnivorous plant, a plant that tried to eat you whole if you touched it, and Link getting very creative with Bomblings. There were some Creepers, too, but again, they were nothing. However, Sora made a mental note not to cast Firaga when in the middle of a patch of grass…

"All these plants make me wonder… is it just this place or does one of the Organization members have a hand in all this?" Donald and Goofy shrugged. "We only know how so many of them fight… some of them were gone before we started finishin' them off…" said Goofy, thinking.

"Well, that's what we know. They messed with our memories, right?" Donald reminded them. Sora nodded as they ran to catch up with Link.

They looked across the new room to see the door that held the monkey in was locked. "So… where's the key?" Sora asked, mainly to himself. Link looked at the pillars and saw there was a chest on each one. "I guess it's back to tackling the pillars…. Ugh." He didn't look forward to running into the pillars purposefully, again, but if it had to be done, it had to be done.

Link tackled the left-hand pillar and found it. "Hey, Sora! Can you see what's in the other pillar's chest?" Sora hadn't seen him run off. "Wow… am I just not paying attention or is he really fast?" Goofy shrugged. "A little of both, I think…"

Link noticed how some of the bridge tiles looked a little funny to him, so he wisely avoided those. However, he stepped on a wrong one and it flipped back on him and threw him into the water. "Ugh. Tile Lurkers… wonderful." He swam back to the beginning where Sora was watching. "That… looked like it hurt." He said. Link shrugged. "Not so much hurt, more like… really wet." Sora smiled, the comment only tickling him slightly. This time Link avoided the last Tile Lurker better, and lit the two unlit torches after that, which raised two platforms that allowed Link to access the next monkey.

Though the spider that came down on him when he went up (that he didn't anticipate seemed to scare all the sense out of his head since he couldn't speak properly for a full minute afterwards) wasn't funny.

They left that room and entered the room to their right. This room had a Giant Deku Baba in it, plus six Dusks, which Sora and Link took care of accordingly with only minimal help from Donald and Goofy. The Deku Baba gave Link some trouble, since it nearly ate him at least twice, but Sora helped him out and cast Stopra, and Link dispatched it and the remains of it quickly afterwards, picking up the key and freeing the next monkey.

"How many monkeys are there in this place?" Sora asked in wonder. Link shrugged. Did he honestly expect _him_ to know?

Once they returned to the main room, the monkeys all headed for the door the left. The door before the bridge the baboon had broken. "Let's go?" Sora asked Link. Link grinned. "If it means kicking that baboon's ass, yes."

And so they went.

They swung across the 'monkey bridge' and over to the other side, entering the door to a wide, circular room with several pillars, upon one of which sat the baboon. It waved at them and whacked down two red carnivorous plants with a boomerang and finally… spanked its butt at them. Must've been monkey-talk for, "You can't get me! Na na, na na na!"

Sora cast Blizzaga on the plants, and Link rammed his shoulder into the nearest pillar, which happened to be the pillar the baboon was on. The boomerang he was carrying hit him clear across his head and Link took advantage of this and rammed the pillar again, sending the baboon flying backwards for several slashes to its bright red buttocks, and a blast of one of Donald's Firagas.

This proceeded on for a few short moments, until finally the monkey snapped out of the funk it had been in, and ran off, throwing the boomerang in a random direction and leaving.

A figure clothed in black clothing caught the boomerang off-handedly, and the four stared at him in silence until Sora finally took a step forward.

"Who are you?" he asked the figure.

The figure flipped the hood of the cloak to reveal a young man with pale skin and blue-gray hair covering his right eye. "You may call me Zexion." He looked past Sora to Link, who clutched his Ordon sword tighter. "No need to fear me, I promise. Here, I'll prove it to you." He opened up the book he was carrying and tore out half a page from it – the other half of the page Sora already had. Then he wrapped it around the boomerang, and threw it to Link, who caught it.

Sora seemed confused.

"Why… are you helping us? Don't you kind of… want to kill us?" Now Zexion smiled, if ever so slightly. "We never wanted to kill you before. We just wanted a puppet to kill the Heartless with. As for why I'm helping you…"

Zexion closed his book and jumped up to one of the pillars. Link, Sora, and the others turned to follow his movements.

"… let's just say that the motives of the Organization no longer interest me."

And with that, he left.

Sora looked after him, slightly puzzled. "It seems not all of the Organization's members are following Xemnas… I wonder who else has left." He looked at Link, who was unraveling the piece of paper Zexion had wrapped around the boomerang Link now had pinned between his left arm and his side. The content written on the paper was this:

_Gale Boomerang:_

_The Gale Boomerang houses the Fairy of the Winds. When thrown, it creates a forceful gale that sucks in things light enough to be taken away. The magic of the boomerang grants the user a mental targeting system for better use._

"This is quite interesting. I take it that book that he has…" Link's eyes followed the path Zexion had taken to leave the area, "… it knows things." Sora shrugged. "I only met a few of the Organization members before. And my memory has been tampered with, so… who knows if I met him before that?" Link looked at him quizzically, but then shook his head. "Actions now, questions later. Let's finish this temple already."

Link handed the paper to Sora, who folded it and stuffed it in the same pocket with the other paper from before while Link figured out the wind puzzle and got them outside again.

They turned right (seeing as the monkeys from before had left them… ungrateful little…) and Link used the boomerang to turn to bridges that got them to another trapped monkey, which they freed after killing off some more Creepers and two Bokoblins. After that, Midna appeared. "Hey, it's been a while. What do you want?" She rolled her eyes. "All this monkey business tires me, though your conversation is amusing. Can't you move faster?" Link muttered something about if she were solid he would hit her. Sora snickered, and then shrugged to Midna.

"We'll try. Can't say it'll happen, but we'll try. Be patient, all right?" Midna rolled her eyes again and disappeared.

They made their way _again_ back to the main room and took the door across from the one they exited. Link practically sped walked the whole way there, and climbed over to the area with the four spinners at the top. He used the Gale Boomerang to open the gate with the black chest and obtained the Boss Key. Sora stared at his Keyblade and then at the boss key and shook his head.

"What, the Keyblade not enough for you?" Link shrugged. "Better safe than sorry. And give me a little credit here for figuring this out, all right?"

They entered the door to the north and ran across the crevasse, and entered a second door to get to the room they needed to be in to proceed. Link looked at the map, which now had glowing red circles on it in both of the rooms on either side of the room they were currently in. "Rock, paper, scissors?" Sora asked. Link gave him a strange look to which Sora said, "Let's just go left first." And so they did after a little bridge manipulation and Bokoblin killing.

They had to defeat a couple of spiders (which by now Link was used to – Sora was not) and another one of those man-eating plants below the spiders (which Sora finally got mad at and torched with Firaga). But actually freeing the monkey below was not hard.

They exited the room and ran to the one across from the one they just left, Link finally letting Sora unlock the door without searching for the key.

"Great, more Tile Lurkers… I hate these things…" But then Link remembered he had the Gale Boomerang in his hands and an odd grin spread across his face, after which he sent the boomerang flying across the floor, uprooting any unlucky Tile Lurkers the wind happened to catch. Then he quickly dispatched them while Sora watched and began to wonder if the constant waves of attacking monsters were beginning to go to his head…

Then they went around back and saved the monkey trapped inside the cage.

They went back to the Monkey Counting Room and went to the last remaining room where they found the last monkey and the key that was supposed to have been used to the door Sora had unlocked. Link just shrugged and chucked it over his shoulder, where a red plant ate it, stilled for a moment, withered, and exploded in a light _poof_!

Sora and Link exchanged glances, after which they couldn't help but laugh. Then they went back to the main room and to the main platform.

The final monkey jumped onto the last platform (which looked more like a mushroom than anything) and they all started chattering loudly in what Sora could only guess was a victory cry.

Then they all climbed up the tree nearby and stared making a 'monkey rope' so that they could get to the other side of the chasm. Sora looked down in to the darkness. "I would suggest not letting go…" he said. Link clocked him lightly on the back of his head with the hilt of his sword. "You think?'" Sora chuckled sheepishly.

But they all made it over to the other side in relative safety.

Link kicked over one of the pots nearby, and it shattered to reveal a fairy. Link quickly drunk one of his red potions and caught it. Sora tilted his head in confusion. Link held it up. "They revive you if you accidentally die. They're, ah, quite handy to have." Sora couldn't complain.

Sora was about to open the door, but Link stopped him, and opened it with the Boss Key. Sora sighed. "If you insist on doing that…" Link laughed. "Just the big doors. You can do the little ones if I don't have a key with me."

Sora, finding it a good compromise, couldn't complain about that either.

So they entered the door where the big, bad beastie of the Forest Temple lay.

Sora took a step back when the door slammed behind them with a sickening thud. In front of them stood one of the organization members, though it was one Sora didn't recognize.

"I must've met you before I had my memories rearranged…" Sora muttered, though more to himself than the hooded figure that stood before him. The figure flipped their hood over to reveal of flurry of sakura petals and a bright pink mane of hair.

"You're quite correct, Sora," said the man, "so in that case I'll remind you of who I am. I once was Lord of Castle Oblivion, but you so graciously removed me from that title."

There was a snorting sound from above. "If I remember correctly you did that to yourself, Marluxia, the Keyblade bearer just helped." Marluxia looked up to see the figure of Zexion leaning against a wall upon a high platform. A sneer crept upon Marluxia's face. "Really now, Zexion? I don't recall you as the type to treat your betters that way." If Zexion was offended, he didn't show it.

"Marluxia, I was always your better to begin with. But since the current motives of the Organization no longer interest me, quite frankly, no one is my better anymore." Marluxia looked shocked. "You! You're one of the traitors?" Zexion almost managed to laugh. "I wouldn't call me a traitor, dear flower, just… no longer interested." Marluxia contemplated of sneering just a little more, but seeing as he had other matters to attend to, he straightened up and forced his face into a blank mask of collectedness.

"I'll deal with you later, _Cloaked Schemer_." Zexion actually smiled. "Good luck with that, _Graceful Assassin_."

And then he left, and Marluxia turned his attention to the four standing before him. "Well, let's get on with this, shall we?" He brandished his long, pink scythe, and dived backwards into the purple sludge. What came out, Sora was the only one who even had a remote idea of what is was.

"Two heads…" Sora muttered, trying to remember, "… oh! We have to hit the heads with those Bomblings!"

Link looked at the heads, and then the Bomblings, and finally at the Boomerang in his hand. "I think I can make that work. You distract them for me, okay?" Sora snorted. "Easier said than done." Just to prove his point, a blast of sakura petals from one of the heads nearly missed him, only nicking the hem of his surcoat, which repaired itself once torn.

But they managed. Link finally got at least one Bombling into each head (not as easy as it sounded – in reality he had to bring it to him first, and the throw it into their mouths when they tried to bite him before the bomb exploded) but he did it. They both slunk into the sludge, but they all very much doubted this was the end. And they were right, because right as soon as they were able to breathe again, the bigger, more disgusting form of the creature came up and out of the sludge, Marluxia stuck right in the middle of the creature's mouth, grinning smugly.

He retreated back into the mouth, and the second phase of the fight began.

After a while, the baboon from before came across the top of the room, a Bombling in its hand. Link shrugged. "Keep the two heads off me while I take care of the middle, all right?" Sora grinned. That, they could do. Sora and his friends began casting Firaga and Blizzaga on the two head so that Link could focus on the middle and latch the Bombling the baboon kept dragging across onto the mouth and (hopefully) open it up to get to Marluxia.

However, Link quickly discovered that was not the case. So did Sora and his friends, when the heads kept trying to blast them with sakura petals after the effects of their spells wore off. So, Link had to (again) get the bomb, and throw it into the two heads before he come do anything to the middle.

But once the middle was down, it laid onto the safe ground, open, with a stunned Marluxia lying inside, who they proceeded to whack into oblivion.

Finally, after much flailing and trashing around, Marluxia was thrown back onto a floating lily pad, beaten, and fading, while the creature he had been manipulating disintegrating behind him and concentrating into… something. No one could see what it was yet, so they turned their attention to Marluxia, who was panting, and fading even faster.

"I did… what… you asked…" he said, obviously not talking to them, "… I hope… you're… happy…" The last of his words were lost as once again he faded into nothing and they could at last see what the dark bits were concentrating into.

This… thing, just so happened to be something very powerful and very dark, and as Link held it he tried to keep it as far away from himself as possible.

Midna appeared from his shadow again. "Well done!" she said, obviously impressed, "That thing you're holding… that's what I was looking for." Sora tilted his head, looking at it closely. "What is it?" She decided to take pity on them and tell them. "That's a Fused Shadow. It's what the light spirit called dark power… do you remember what that spirit said, about matching the power of the king of shadows?" They nodded.

"Well, these are it. There are a total of three Fused Shadows… I think the other light spirits have the rest. If you want to know exactly what they are, well… you have to find to other two." Then she set up a portal for them.

"I'll get you out of here. Come on!"

So, with one last look at their surroundings, they stepped into it without question.

* * *

I did a lot of research for this. The Kingdom Hearts Wiki helped me out quite a bit, gave me insight on their 'personalities'. I suppose I should've made Marluxia a bit more arrogant, but I don't see how else I could… Zexion is a different story. And, I know, I know, he's supposed to be Xemnas' lapdog but I think his fear of death and knowing that Xemnas' new plan is going to backfire (he knows things… he knows them before anyone else, XD) would kind of give him incentive to leave. He doesn't want to die _again_. :D

Oh, and as for where Nobodies and Heartless appear, they can both appear in areas where light has been liberated, but Nobodies will only appear in temple-like areas, and Heartless will only appear in the Twilight.


	6. Freedom of Discovery

Chapter Six: Freedom of Discovery

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 6

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Well... if I saved up a whole bunch of money in this life, put it in stocks, got lucky in the stock market, found a psychic who knew I was going to be reincarnated and who I was going to be, somehow put all that money into a savings account and accessed it in that next life and cycled through another life while still saving up money, I _might_ be able to have enough money to sue for the rights to everything, but then I'd probably lose since I'm such a poor debater. (Translation: I don't own this.)

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

More light spirits, yay! Well, a spirit. Many thanks to those who reviewed, and since I don't have much to say, well, yeah. On with the fic.

* * *

Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were all set right before the Spring of Faron after the battle they fought with Marluxia. Now it was nighttime, but neither Link nor Sora could tell if a single day had passed or more.

What mattered was that they were tired, and not even Midna's nagging was going to get them to move forward in the night where they couldn't see the monsters coming at them and didn't have the strength to fight them off. Midna, after seeing their logic, rolled her eyes and said a few words in a language that they couldn't understand that were more than likely curses than anything else, then disappeared into Link's shadow once more.

Link and Sora were sitting there around the campfire they'd set up right before the water, sleep just barely taking a hold of them as they chatted slowly though the slow-creeping folds of it.

"So… the Organization wanted to use you as their puppet to kill the Heartless. Whatever for?" Sora turned on his back and stared up at the sky. "Every time a keyblade kills a Heartless, it frees a heart. You remember. Before, when I killed them, they went to Kingdom Hearts, and the Organization was trying to use the hearts for their own power. I think I remember them saying something about wanting hearts of their own, but they're Nobodies, they're not meant to exist, much less have hearts."

Link nodded. He didn't really understand, but it was a good story all the same. "You said you destroyed their means of using you from before… what was that?" Sora, stilled looking up at the sky, shot him a quick glance before looking up at the sky again.

"Its… difficult to describe. But their leader was convinced that it would give them more power. But we depleted its power and finished off whatever was at its core. It wasn't easy… in fact, it was kind surreal." Link laughed softly. "I know about that. Like something you can't explain but you know it's real because it hurts?" Sora laughed too. "Like that golden wolf?" Link nodded. "Exactly like that wolf. So… thirteen members are in the Organization. How many do you think will we be facing?"

Sora took a moment to think about it. "Well, this Zexion character seems to have broken away, there's Axel too, perhaps… nah. Maybe not him. So, at best, minus Marluxia, we'll be facing eight more of them, nine if the one I'm thinking of hasn't left. But, I don't know…

But by now, Link was asleep. Sora turned on his side, examining the young man. "Wow, that was fast…" He turned back to watch the stars. "I wish I could fall asleep that fast…"

As if by some strange magic, he did, but Sora found himself awake, and yet, still dreaming. He was still at the campsite by Faron's Spring, the fire blazing. However, once he took a closer look at the fire, it was stock-still. Not moving at all. Link, Donald, and Goofy weren't breathing, either. This was really weird. Or creepy. It didn't matter. Was he dreaming or not?

"Oh, you're dreaming all right," said a familiar light voice that jolted Sora's heart, "lucid dreaming. Not many people actually can lucid dream… most never have even one in their whole lives." A black-cloaked young man sat beside him on his pallet; but he knew who it was. "So…" he said, still sort of freaked out, "this, lucid dreaming… is it special for something?" The young man nodded. "Yeah. Like, see that fire right there?" Sora 'tched. " The one that's not blazing?"

There was a friendly condescending laugh from the man, who removed a glove and crawled over to the fire. "Look. In a lucid dream, you can do anything you want in the world you want. Normally you couldn't touch fire, right? It would burn you." Sora nodded. "Um, still waiting for an explanation of all this, but pretty much everything you're saying is making sense."

The man laughed, and flipped his hood. It was actually Roxas, the thirteenth member of the organization. "You're still the same as ever." Sora frowned. "I thought you never left." Roxas shrugged. "I did and I didn't. Now let me finish, and then things will start making sense. Sora nodded. "All right. Go ahead." Roxas smiled, finally getting Sora's approval.

Then he stuck his hand in the fire. Sora blinked several times, and then pointed to the fire. "Isn't that supposed to hurt?" Roxas took his hand out and sat back beside Sora, replacing his glove. Sora frowned. "Okay, so you can defy the laws of the universe in lucid dreaming. What I _don't_ get… is why you're in your Organization clothes again." Roxas frowned too. "That I'm still trying to figure out." Suddenly, Roxas was really close to Sora, their noses almost touching.

"Look, be on your guard. I am with you always, so I don't know what Xemnas is planning. But they _are_ back, and I'll keep checking back with you as often as I can, all right?" Roxas was about to get up, but Sora grabbed his arm. His eyes looked off in the distance at the dream-spring. "Hey, you messed up my dream mojo. Set it back for me won't you?" Roxas smiled, and lay beside Sora on his pallet. "Fine. Just this once."

.oOo.

The next morning Sora actually woke up refreshed, and tried to remember the dream from the night before. "I know I had one…" "Had what?" asked Donald. "Oh, nothing," said Sora, "just a dream that I had. Trying to remember…" Goofy turned his head to the side. "You don't usually remember your dreams… it has something to do with the worlds and your brainwaves I think." Donald raised an eyebrow.

"What do you know, you big palooka?" Sora laughed, but stopped after some moments. It was right as they were entering the really big field Sora remembered from when they first entered the world, that he remembered.

"Oh!" he whispered to himself, "I remember now!" Roxas. Roxas had come to him last night and had acted really strange. Then he stayed with him and helped him sleep. But they way he'd been so close… man, it struck him right there. Vaguely Sora wondered if the Nobody knew what he was doing to him. He was supposed to like Kairi, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Hey, Sora!"

That snapped him out of it. Link was fighting off a few Dusks that were giving him some trouble. Sora helped him out once he came to his senses. "You all right in there?" Link asked him, apprehensive. Sora nodded. "Yeah, I finally remembered what my dream was. It's no big deal."

Link found some horse-grass up ahead but no horse came when he called. "That's weird…" he said to the grass, "she usually comes when I call." Sora shrugged. "There's also four of us. Even if your horse could take two, we'd still need another one, you know?" Link, seeing that he was right, shrugged. "Okay, I see what you mean."

So they followed the dirt path along the wide terrain, killing all manner of Bokoblin, Moblin, and Nobodies alike (though most of them were Dusks – the Creepers had sort of disappeared after Marluxia's death, but they still showed up every now and then) until they ran into… a postman?

"Go no further!' He cried, panicked, his brown hair falling in front of his eyes (1) and his red postman hat drooping to one side, buttons askew on his uniform (2). "There is a black wall ahead that blocks the way! I thought I would deliver a few letters, but it seems impossible…" He shot a quick, tentative look back before speaking again. "I've only just finished my training as a postman, but I do good work…" Then he seemed to snap out of his state of fear and he dug for a letter and handed it to Link.

"Here! Take it! It's to introduce you to the mailing system!" And he ran off. Sora blinked, looking after him. "What a strange kid…" Sora looked up at the giant black wall he mentioned. "I can see why he'd be freaked out, though."

Link snorted, stuffing the letter into his pouch. "Right. Let's just get there so we can free the light spirit already… I don't look forward to becoming a wolf again… Midna's starting to grow on me…" Sora smiled. "Is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Link glared at him, but said nothing as they walked forward.

Once they arrived, Midna appeared.

"Hey, it was much closer than I thought. So, you remember, right?" Link nodded, sighing. "How could I forget?" Midna giggled. "So shall we try to save the spirit of Eldin?" Link nodded slowly. "Sure, why not?" Sora laughed. "I could give you several reasons…" Link whacked him, at which point he promptly shut up.

And so, once again, Midna went in, and the giant hand came out to drag them into the darkness.

.oOo.

"So your flower boy failed."

The Superior said nothing. "Who do you plan on sending next? Your fire-user ran out on you." Again, nothing. "You could just leave that stupid Goron as is; he may actually prove to be a challenge to them."

It was now that the Superior spoke.

"I thought sending in the _Graceful Assassin_ would have stopped the Keyblade master in his tracks, but I suppose that even in his own element that traitor was weak." The dark figure turned to the Superior. "Traitor? He wasn't one of the ones that walked out on you, Subordinate." The Superior smiled under his hood, knowing the man before him knew nothing of his plans. He hadn't yet the means to take the reins of the twilight king like his reviver could, but he would soon enough.

If only he could just get around that blasted Triforce…

"Subordinate? You're ignoring me…" The Superior's attention shifted to his Reviver. "Oh, yes sir. But, I think I should send someone there as well, since my precious _Cloaked Schemer_ has forsaken me… you don't know the Keyblade warrior as well as I, and I fear you could overlook his strength." (3)

His Reviver hmphed. "Fine. But you, Subordinate, underestimate my cunning. I'll allow you your games for a while, but eventually they will be stopped." And so he disappeared, probably to have another 'chat' with his toy, the twilight king. The Superior called up another member of the dark, the cloak twirling in the wind.

"_Luna Diviner_," he said plainly, like he knew _he_ was, "go tell the _Freeshooter_ that I have a mission for him. He does like his fieldwork after all. Who's to say I should deny it of him?"

The _Luna Diviner_ disappeared without a single word.

.oOo.

Sora could smell something.

"Hey, what's that?" Sora padded ahead of the group, sniffing out something sticking out of the ground. Something in his head told him this was the same wooden sword that Link had given to Talo right before they'd first been drug into the twilight.

Link could smell it too, once he caught up to him. "Talo?" he asked. Sora nodded. "I smell it too. Seems like we should follow the trail. They must have escaped from whatever took them from the village and hightailed it in a random direction before they were noticed." Sora nodded. He couldn't see much of anything else other than that.

So they followed the trail, running past the monsters now that they had a good, hot lead. They couldn't just let it go cold to get a few monsters off their tails!

"I smelled Malo and Beth in there too, and Colin!" Link huffed at Sora as they were running, Midna holding onto his fur for dear life. "Yeah! So did I! But… no Ilia?" Link didn't say anything. He didn't run faster either, but it was still puzzling. Shouldn't have Ilia been in the scent mix with them?

Their trip was only stopped twice; once, by some Messengers and Neoshadows, which were easily taken care of, and a broken bridge. "Wow… so what do we do here?" Sora scratched his ear with his left hind leg. "Um, I saw a bridge piece back in the forest… but that was there… how on earth are we going to get it here?"

Midna put her hands on her hips. "Whenever you destroy those Messengers, a little thing called a portal opens up, yes?" She pointed to the blue-green hole in the sky. "Well there are two portals in the forest if you don't remember…" Link thought for a moment. "The one by that creepy bird's shop is the one we need, right Sora?" Sora thought for a moment, then nodded. "That's where I saw the bridge piece too, so it's perfect! Can you get us there, Midna?" Midna laughed. "Can I? Oh, please, just let me work my magic!"

So they were set exactly in front of the bridge piece, which Midna gladly transported through the portals and took them back into the twilight to continue their trek.

"See? Good as new! Eee hee!"

Link would never admit this out loud; but her laughs were actually beginning to be less and less annoying as they stayed in partnership with one another. The word 'together' didn't fit them. She didn't fight, not really, she just helped out whenever she had to or whenever it fit her needs.

So they ran forward, past more monsters and under a very elaborate gate, until they got to a little village. Which had even more Messengers lurking about. "You know the drill, Sora! Let's kick some butt!" Neoshadows appeared later, but Sora took care them no problem. Another portal appeared and the next light spirit caught their attention.

_'… I am… a spirit… of light… chosen heroes… look for my light… gather it in this… the light… stolen by the shadows…'_

Once again they were given a Vessel of Light, which Donald held, and they went searching through the town for the shadow bugs. "Gawrsh," said Goofy, looking it over, "where do we start?" Link sniffed the ground. "How about that building over there? The children's scent goes that way… and we can jump inside using that tree!"

So they did, climbing up and falling into the building through a section of unstable material.

Once inside, they noticed there was a collection of spirits just sitting there, and one way off to the side. When they used their senses to see and hear what was going on did they realize these were the children of Ordon, plus a few others.

"We are safe as long as we remain in here, child," said the wise-looking man, "Be at ease." The man off to the side seemed to disagree. "They weren't impressed with my bombs! How do you expect this place to be a sanctuary, huh?" The man kept rambling and the children kept trembling (except Colin, he was frowning, thinking about something else other than the man's words) and finally the wise man had enough.

"Barnes!" he shouted. That shut Barnes up. Then Beth began to cry. Barnes, now thoroughly embarrassed, pressed his face guard down against his face and slid down against the wall to the floor.

"Look, Renado, all I mean to say is that it's risky here, too! Don't you have anywhere else to hide?" Renado, the wise man, thought for a moment. "There is… a cellar." He said at last.

"You got a cellar? Where's the entrance?" Barnes said, stir-crazy and half insane. Renado told him. "The entrance to the cellar is designed to open when all the torches have been lit… Barnes lit a small torch in the middle of the room, but fell down at his next words.

"I wouldn't do that, however." Barnes turned to see the child they didn't recognize speak to the man. "When Father instructed me to secure the cellar, I saw insects like the creatures outside." Immediately Barnes backed off.

Beth was still crying. Colin knelt in front of her, trying to comfort her. "Don't cry, Beth!" he told her, "It'll be ok! Link is coming to save us all!" When the whole room went dead with surprise, Colin resisted shrinking into himself and said at last, "… I can feel it." Even the quintet was surprised. How did he know?

But Midna had to go and interrupt the mood…

"How sad it is to be right in front of someone and not be noticed at all…" Link looked down at the dirt floor, his eyes downcast. Sora rubbed against his pelt, comforting him. Midna kept going on. "Well, since you're the chosen of the gods, oh and the Keyblade master, whatever that is…" Sora flattened his ears, backed away, and snarled. "Midna, shut up!"

Midna blinked, surprised. She looked at Link, who, was still looking at the floor. She felt him shake the negative emotions from him with a quick set of shivers, as if throwing off water, but some still lingered as he tried to give a genuine smile to Sora. "I'm okay, Sora. What were you saying Midna?"

Midna proceeded to do the same, shaking off the strange feeling that burned in her chest and padded at her eyes, pushing it into the past. "I was saying I know that you're the type to worry about things and for you not to worry about Princess Zelda. She chose this state of affairs after all." Sora smiled to himself. His little stunt worked. Not much, but she was starting to change the way she chose her words around them, Link especially.

"Let's go into that cellar," suggested Sora, "that guy Renado said there were bugs down there." He picked up a stick and dipped it in the fire, running along the edges of the room to light the torches. Once he was done, the totem in the middle of the room shifted and opened up a hole in the floor, most likely the entrance to the cellar.

Link, now curious and his feelings forgotten, followed him, settling into his former rhythm once more.

Indeed, there were three bugs down there. Sora killed these. Midna helped them use the wooden beams in the next area to jump up and back outside. They ended up in a graveyard. "There's bound to be some here, huh?" Link said, grinning. Sora nodded, and sat down. "Your turn. Go get 'em, puppy!" Link rolled his eyes and began sniffing around.

He found one scuttling under the dirt, and dug it up, chasing it into a set of gravestones. They couldn't find anymore so they left the graveyard coming back into the village from the back of the safe house. Sora pointed out the rising bit of land with the sign in front of it, and that they should follow it to see where it went. They ended up jumping over to a set of boards sticking out of the side of one of the buildings, and going through the hole in the wall.

Sora could smell a bug in the fireplace that was in the room they found themselves in, but he doubted that unless he lit it, the bug wasn't coming out anytime soon. But, as luck would have it, there was a stick on the floor and a lit torch on the wall. "You could've cast Firaga," Goofy reminded him. If Sora had hands, he would've slapped himself.

But he lit the fireplace the way he intended, thus forcing the bug out and him killing it, taking back the light afterwards. Upon more exploration, they encountered some armored shadow creatures and Shadows, but after some experience of fighting, they got away with hardly any scratches.

They headed up the steps to the landing, and into the room beyond. "This must be a hotel of some sort," Sora observed. "Oh, and inn?" Sora nodded. "But better. They take care of you instead the stuff a regular inn does." Link nodded and began searching for any bugs. There was one just flying there, which he got, and afterwards they exited the hotel via their entrance.

In another building (quite close to the hotel) they found a hole they could enter, and so they did.

It appeared to be some kind of shop, which had a bug on the wall, hiding in plain sight. Once the light was taken, they left. They looked around, and Goofy noticed some of the buildings were low enough to climb. Sora scrambled up first, and jumped over to another building, but fell once he landed on a spot where the material was thin. "Sora!" Donald called, flying over and yelling down into the hole, "You okay?"

Sora shook the dust out of his fur before calling up to Donald to reassure him that he was all right. "See any bugs?" Donald asked. Sora shook his head, but remembered he was down there and they were outside. "No, but I can smell 'em!" He could smell a strong bug scent hugging the wall close to a box, and suddenly, he got an idea. He pushed the box against the wall.

Sure enough, a bug revealed itself, and he caught it, taking its light, and jumped back out. "Got it!" he said happily. "Don't do that to us, Sora," Link said, flashing a wolfish grin. Sora closed his eyes, tilted his head to the left, and smiled.

"I'll try. Can't promise you anything."

They jumped down from there and ran past the bomb building to climb onto some more low buildings so they could jump through the window and enter the shop. There weren't any bugs on the bottom level, so they ran up the stairs to find a bug behind a dresser, which Link had to ram into the make it fall before they could actually kill the bug.

They climbed/spun/flew some more and exited through the open door at the top.

Then they followed the roof tiles and stairs up to a path that led to another building. There, in front of the building, sat a bug, just sitting there, probably daring them to come near and chase it.

Sora fell for it, and the bug cleverly hid inside a crack in the building, but Sora, as fast as he was, couldn't stop in time and ran head first against the side. He broke away, blinking and staring into nothing. Even Midna was worried. "You okay, kid?" Sora blinked again, swayed a little, and finally said:

"Ouch."

They laughed. "That has got to be just about the slowest reaction time ever, Sora!" Link teased. Sora looked back at him, incredulously raising and eyebrow and pouting. Then he got up and entered the building through the crack in the side, the rest of them following.

Once again, the bugs were in the fireplace and were definitely not coming out anytime soon.

This time Sora cast Firaga on the fireplace, no hesitation.

But the second the spell was cast, he felt like he should've thought about that just a second longer than he did. Because, when the bugs came out, they came out flaming and flying: straight into the explosive powders and bomb parts. Oh yeah, and the building itself.

They decided to quick exit before they exploded along with the building, which proceeded to do so not less than five seconds afterwards.

"Um, let's _not_ do that again," said Sora. Link snorted and laughed. "Who was the one who cast the spell in the first place? Me?" Sora, not having actual hands to face palm himself with, used the ground, while Link went to collect the Tears of Light the bugs in the building left behind.

After that little fiasco, they went up the little hill that hugged the cliff side and up to a watchtower with a hole in the side, which they went through the look for more bugs. "Man, these things are everywhere! How do they get into these places?" Sora asked, though more to himself than as an actual question. Midna answered, "They're bugs, they get into everything!" Sora rolled his eyes.  
"That was rhetorical, you know." Midna just giggled.

They found another bug hiding in a set of pots in the corner, and left once they had the light.

They jumped down, counting the buildings and the Tears of Light, feeling like they were missing something. "Maybe back there?" Sora asked, gesturing with his head over to a cave looking entrance not far from where they were. They all looked at one another. It… couldn't hurt.

It appeared this path was a wide ravine type area, and they certainly couldn't proceed on their own. So… Midna helped them by guiding their jumps so they could get up the where the spirit was floating. Link listened to it to sate his curiosity, but it didn't help much. "Hey, what was that?" Sora asked Link. "A Goron. They're rock people. They eat rocks… their skin is about as hard as rocks… yeah. But I've heard they're supposed to be peaceful with the Hylians… I wonder what's happened."

They ran up the path, passing the Shadows and Twilit Vermin on their way. They climbed up to the next level to keep going through the pass, and ran some more until they reached a clearing. In the clearing were two things, a bug, which they killed, and a stone. There were rocks and things also, but those were the two objects of interest.

Link sniffed the stone, but once he stopped looking at it and started listening, he could hear a faint, distant howl just begging for a duet. He looked at Sora, who tried to copy the sound, but it came out as a set of sharp and flat squeaks instead of anything remotely musical. Sora chuckled softly and cleared his throat. "Sorry. Slightly tone-deaf… can hardly sing worth a flip." Goofy thought for a moment. "What about that musical with Ariel and Sebastian? You sung with them just fine…" Sora shrugged. "I was also human. I'm kind of… _not_ anymore, yes?"

Link laughed and then copied the sound perfectly. As soon as it was finished, the sound stopped completely. "This must be one of those howling stones that skeleton warrior talked about…"

So they continued, avoiding blasts from volcanic air vents and such until finally after jumping down several ledges they found themselves smack dab in the middle of the Goron complex. It seemed pretty calm… that is, until Death Mountain started acting up after they destroyed the Messengers and revealed a new portal (the Messengers, not the mountain).

Link rammed into a nearby wall to shake loose a Twilit Insect, which Sora promptly killed and took its light. They had to search really hard for the last one, after jumping (spinning/flying) several times and avoiding the falling bits of volcanic rock (they were still hot!) and staying clear from all the volcanic air vents so as not to get knocked off and have to jump _back_ up to where they'd been before.

They finally found it swimming in the hot spring with some Twilit Vermin, and promptly killed it upon its finding.

Then, once again, they were transported by the power of light back to the spring and the realm of darkness was dispelled once again! They were returned to their human forms (with the exception of Donald and Goofy who were not really humans to begin with – but rather, humanoid animals) and they got to meet the third light spirit, which was a great eagle. Yeah, they were all giant golden animals for sure.

Midna said some parting words before the spirit actually appeared, however, which were, "Aw, and I was just starting to have some fun! Don't forget about that Fused Shadow!" And _then_ she left and the spirit appeared.

"_My name is Eldin,"_ said the spirit, _"I am one of the light spirits of Hyrule, and am the spirit who guards these lands. Oh great hero chosen by the gods, and the chosen master of the Keyblade… the dark power you seek lies in the sacred ground of the proud mountain dwellers. But… already those ground have been defiled, draped in shadow and seeded with evil."_

Sora nodded, crossing his arms with a stern line across his face. "Yeah, we get the picture."

The spirit continued, _"You must go to those sacred grounds and cleanse them."_ And that was all it said, for it disappeared shortly afterwards. They stood there for some moments, until a certain sound from behind caught their attentions, and they turned around to look.

The door of the safe house was open, and the children of Ordon were watching from the threshold.

"Link?!" Colin asked, happy and surprised at the same time. Perhaps he was surprised that he was right, or just simply happy. Whatever the case, the children came running to him, and they all came running, Colin tripping over his feet and Malo sort of just shuffling over.

Talo shouted, "See, Beth? I told you Link was coming!" Not knowing what to say, Link simply greeted each one until he looked beyond them and saw Colin, who upon meeting Link's eyes, got up, walking towards him alongside Renado. "You are the one from Ordon these children spoke of?" the man asked him. Link nodded. "I suppose. I had help, though…" He didn't turn, but in his mind's eye he could see Sora, Donald, and Goofy behind him. The man smiled. "I am Renado, shaman of this town. And this…" He glanced at Barnes for a moment before moving onto the child, "… is my daughter, Luda."

Barnes, appalled that Renado hadn't introduced him, walked off, pouting. He seemed to do that often… then Colin spoke. "The beasts took us and left us for dead, but Mr. Renado found us." He looked up at the man with a light fondness. After all, who could blame him? Renado continued, "At first I couldn't believe they had come from a place so distant as Ordona Province…"

Colin took the reins again. "Yeah, I… we don't remember much. All of a sudden we were captured and then… until now… it's been like…" He struggled to find the right words to say, but couldn't, for some reason. Malo finished for him.

"… a nightmare."

Colin snapped back into reality again, the word finally out in the open. "Yeah! It was like a terrible dream and we couldn't wake up…" Renado nodded and turned his head. "Mmm… nightmares seem to be everywhere these days, it seems. This village has certainly seen its share of hardships…" Link frowned. "There was a grass fire here, once, am I right? It didn't used to be so… desolate." Renado nodded. "Indeed. The dark beasts attacked here not long ago, but even more disturbing was the sudden, inexplicable change in the mountain-dwelling tribe."

Link frowned. He had a pretty good idea of what Renado was going to say next. "They had long been our friends," said Renado, looking up at the mountain, "but suddenly they treated us as foes and even now they no longer permit us entry into their mines. It strains the limits of belief… that such a gentle and proud tribe could change so suddenly. It makes me wonder if something in those mines is the cause of this change…"

"I think that too," said Link with conviction. Renado gave a quick half smile before saying, "In any case, you must take these children and flee this village before more nightmares descend." Link sighed, looking at the ground. "I'm afraid, I cannot do what you ask…"

Renado raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Why ever not?" Link's face pinched, lost in thought and concentration. "I just… can't."

Renado could clearly see at least a faint glimmer of Link's true purpose there, but nonetheless, had more to say. "Whatever your reason, I cannot leave my village in such a time as this. There is no telling what may happen here… and it is my job to coax the Gorons back from their change of heart."

Link's head snapped up. "Actually, that is part of why I cannot fulfill your request." The children turned back to Link, Renado finally seeing their true reasons for being there.

* * *

The ending is iffy… I hate it when my endings are like this… ugh. But we get to see another member in the next chapter! Yes! When I first wrote this I was having such a hard time getting the words to come, but I suppose it turned out all right in the end.

It's very difficult to keep Donald and Goofy's presences in the story… should I go back and rewrite (which would be somewhat difficult and now that I think about it, somewhat pointless to do) or, since I just answered my question for myself, keep them in and try my best to keep them present, if not all the time at least, most of the time. Now that I see it would be a huge hassle to rewrite Donald and Goofy out of the story, I suppose I'll just have to tough it out and do my best.

I went ahead with the dream thing and Roxas. What I'm really itching to do but not sure if I can, is have Roxas talk to Sora mind to mind at certain points in chapters. The Goron Mines would be a great place to have this happen, since our favorite pyromaniac is guest starring in it! XD I need feedback! Tell me stuff, okay?

Oh, before I forget, footnotes!

1) Picture Tidus's hair, longer, and obviously brown, and… Ocarina of Time Adult Link's face. I don't like the postman from Twilight Princess. He looks creepy.

2) I'm not exactly sure how to put this… his uniform in Twilight Princess looks dorky, so I'm changing that, too. Just imagine the uniform Tom Cruise was wearing in Valkyrie, but with red and white colors instead of grey and whatever else there was. Again, I can draw you a picture if you're having trouble.

3) First off, Ganondorf doesn't know that Xemnas (le gasp! For those of you who didn't get the 'Superior' reference, shame on you) is plotting to overthrow his power, and calls him his 'Subordinate', which tells us that he assumes that Xemnas is lower than him. After all, he did bring back the members of the Organization from oblivion, so yeah, they should be thankful. However, since Xemnas was never right in the head to begin with, he still has that inner plot to create a new world in his image that is only masked as retrieving hearts for Kingdom Hearts, which, I believe he can still do. Or try to do.

The Heartless still release hearts when killed by the keyblades, correct? So, it is possible, that, by converting the world to darkness using Ganondorf, he can then send multiple Heartless to feast on the poor people and have Sora whack the Heartless into oblivion while trying to save the world like he usually does. Wow, that's long… heh. Oh yeah, so he's going to _try_ to continue his plan from before, but a certain princess and hero are in his way… XD


	7. Battle at the Bridge

Chapter Seven: Battle at the Bridge

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 7

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If I owned everything, I wouldn't be writing this.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Gah… my inspiration is starting to run out. Nooo… oh, and after much contemplation and consideration, I have decided to give Roxas and Sora a mental connection thing, but this will not be accessible until they meet Axel in the Goron Mines. So enjoy!

* * *

Link, Sora, and company decided to proceed onward through the village in the hopes of defeating the evil inside the Goron Mines.

"I'm not so sure leaving them like that was such a good idea," said Goofy. Sora shrugged. "Once the Gorons come back, they'll understand. Besides, the people don't seem to ask questions very much. It's rather helpful, though it does seem slightly disconcerting…." Link couldn't input much in this conversation other than, "Well, the people sort of keep to their provinces, since there are no real main roads that people travel on in Hyrule."

Donald wondered why. "It seems possible that something like that could actually help make this place more alive, and help information pass faster. I wonder why it hasn't happened…?" Sora wondered too, but he had an idea of why.

So they went down to the cave entrance to the Goron Mines. This time they could climb up the grating (they had hands again!) to proceed through the trail, but once they got up to the top, they saw a Goron off in the distance. They walked closer to the Goron, who spotted them. Sora was about to give a friendly 'hey!' but he noticed that not all was well and hesitated.

"Ah!" It roared, "No humans allowed! These lands ahead belong to the Goron tribe! The elder said no humans may pass!" Then the Goron rolled up in a ball and down the hill.

"He's only coming down to tell us calmly to go, right?" Link looked at Sora. "Somehow, I doubt that."

WHAM. THUD!

"Ugh… okay, getting hit by a Goron… is bad. Ouch…" Sora and Link were the first to sit up, and hear the Goron's final message.

"A weak spirit is no match for the might of the Gorons! Do you understand me, humans? Then away with you!"

And then it disappeared from view. Sora frowned. "How are we going to get past him? I can't cast Stopra from that distance, and it takes me a moment to do so when he does get close enough…" Link frowned. "And that moment may be the crucial one that we need… hmm. Let's go back to the village, see what Renado knows."

They all agreed, and were surprised to meet Renado at the cave entrance.

"Ah, how fortunate you are in one piece!" he said, obviously worried. "I saw you headed up the mountain trail so I was concerned. That must be why you're here, isn't it? Getting up to Death Mountain?" The quartet nodded. "Pretty much," said Sora, "we hoped to set things right with the Gorons so you wouldn't have to worry anymore." Renado frowned. "But, it is far too dangerous for you, my friends."

"Nothing's too dangerous for the Keyblade master!" Donald said indignantly. Renado smiled down at the duck. "It matters not now good you are with a blade or with magic, for the Gorons, it is strength that matters. A normal person could never persuade them…" The four hung their heads, staring down at the ground.

"But…" They looked back up, hopeful.

"I do know one person who was able to best them and earn their trust…" Link clenched his fists, nodded sharply. "Who is it, Master Renado?"

Renado smiled. "His name is Bo. You may know him as the mayor of your hometown, Ordon." Link looked genuinely surprised. "Mayor Bo? You sure you have the right name?" Renado laughed softly. "Yes, I am sure. So please, go to him, and let him know the children are safe. Of course, getting them back would be best, but we could not keep them safe from monsters on the road without a horse and cart…"

They all nodded. "We'll tell the village that the children are safe with you," said Link indignantly, "I give you my word." He held his right hand tight across his chest over his heart. Renado smiled again, softly. "Thank you."

The four of them proceeded to walk through the village back to Ordona. Link stopped short once they reached the bomb shop. Sora paused to ask him what was wrong. Link listened some more, but shook his head and said nothing. Then he stopped again by the hotel, and this time when Sora asked him what was wrong, he answered, "You can't hear it?"

Far away, coming from behind them, farther on in the path to the village exit, were sounds of a horse neighing, frightened and angry. "Epona?" Link asked, though more to himself than Sora, Donald, or Goofy.

At the last possible moment, Link turned to see Epona hurtling towards them, and they all had to jump and dodge out of the way or otherwise be run over.

Epona was in a state of panic, and only Link knew how to calm her. He ran off, ready to mount her if he could, ignoring Sora's cries for him to stay put. He was not going to let his horse go that easy! He jumped across her back but was unable to set himself in the saddle properly, and thus had to hang on for dear life while Epona went this way and that, but finally, he was able to take the reins and seize control and calm her down.

Afterwards, Midna appeared, and said, "Hmm. You're not too bad a wrangler after all…" And she disappeared again. Sora tugged at Link's boot. "Why don't you go back with Epona, and we'll stay here and help out with things until you get back? We'd only slow you down, you know. After all, we don't have horses."

Link thought for a moment, then sighed. "All right. I'll try to get back as soon as possible. You got that?" Sora winked. "Clear as crystal."

.oOo.

Link left Epona to soak in the spring after he'd learned the Shield Attack and walked slowly into the village. It felt like he hadn't been there in ages, but in reality, it hadn't even been a week.

It held a still air about it, a choking blanket of doom and depression that made Link gasp softly for breath. It wasn't until he finally saw signs of life in the village that he could breathe just a little bit better, and he could smile once more. "Mayor Bo!" he cried, practically bursting into tears. The mayor, whom had been staring off into the sky like a lost puppy, heard Link's cries and turned to see what was the matter.

He hadn't expected to actually see Link. "Link?!"

Link nodded, the pure joy practically flowing like a waterfall from his beaming face. "Yes, mayor, it's me." The mayor squinted, then blinked as he confirmed it was really him. "Whoa, it _is_ you! You're safe and sound! Your clothes… what happened to you, lad?" Link's hands clasped behind his back as he shuffled his feet and his eyes were glued to the ground. "That's… kind of a long story, Mayor."

He looked back up at the same time the mayor gently put a hand to his right shoulder. "C-Come quickly! Inside!"

Without a word, Link obeyed.

They had a long, detailed conversation where Link described everything in detail, from Sora and his friends to his involvement with the spirits (excluding Midna's presence in all this) to the location and safety of the children of Ordon.

"I see…" said the mayor, "so the young'uns are in Kakariko Village!" Link nodded. "Renado seems like a good man. And Sora and his friends are there, waiting for me." Mayor Bo nodded as well. "Renado's an old friend. If they're in his care, then we can relax." There was an odd moment of silence until Mayor Bo burst out saying, "So… don't keep me waiting, lad! Tell me about my little girl! Ilia is with the rest of 'em, right?"

Link's eyes were glued to the floor again. "I'm sorry, Mayor… but…"

Mayor Bo sighed. "… oh. I see. That ain't what I wanted to hear… ahh… but I guess I need to be thinking of all five of those poor kids, not just my own." Link looked back up at the mayor. "Right. That's it. I'll keep looking, though." Mayor Bo smiled softly. "But I suppose what I should be asking is how I can help you out, huh?" Now it was Link's turn to smile. This was it! The perfect time to bring it up!

"The Gorons at Death Mountain are giving the villagers some trouble, sir. Renado told me that you were the only one he knew who had gained their respect… I wanted to ask you how."

"I see… so Renado told you about that…"

The mayor stroked his chin as he thought. "Well, it's true, I did defeat the Gorons in a contest of strength and earned their trust… with the help of a little secret." Link raised an eyebrow.

"What secret might this be?"

"Well… it's a secret, whaddaya think? I _can_ teach it to you, but you can't tell _anyone_ that this is how it's done!" Link frowned. "Sora and his friends will have to know, but they're trustworthy people." "You and them, then. Well… can you?"

Link nodded. "Of course, Mayor. Now tell me, what is this… secret?"

.oOo.

"You! Spiky-haired kid! Help me out here!"

Sora groaned. "My _name_ is Sora, you nut…" Malo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Hey, listen, I'll give you some of my stock if you help me move these boxes, all right?" Sora thought it over. "Anything I want?" Malo sighed, impatient. "Yes, anything. Just help me, okay?"

Sora grinned. Piece of cake.

Or… not. The boxes were extremely heavy, and he had to have Goofy help him carry them inside. Once the ten boxes of stuff were inside the refurbished shop, Malo stood up on the counter. "Okay, I need you to do one last thing for me, all right?"

Sora raised an eyebrow. "What is it now? Sorting?" Malo nodded. "I'd do it myself, but Talo's run off with a piece of my merchandise and I have to go get it back. You can sort these things with out breaking them, right?"

Sora put his hands on his hips. "You think I can't?"

Malo rolled his eyes a second time. "Just try to leave at least half of the potion bottles intact, okay?"

Then he left.

Now, before we start getting ahead of ourselves, Malo had asked Renado about the building in desperate need of repair that was supposed to be a shop.

Renado, not seeing his idea as doing any harm, let him use it, and somehow, Malo had gotten a hold of new items to stock the shop up with. And so… he called Sora to help him put the boxes inside, where you know the story from there.

Now, back to Sora. (A/N : Minigame time! XD)

There were ten boxes, two had special things in them, two had several bundles of arrows, two had a bunch of wooden shields, and four had red potions in them. Sora had to sort them all, quickly – he wasn't the best at doing stuff like this and wanted it _done_ – and carefully, since he was supposed to have at least half the red potions intact by the time he was finished.

He started with the shields, thinking they were the most durable. There was a box in the back where the extras went behind the display, so he made a game out of it and tossed them into the box, only stopping to pick up the few he missed and setting the very last one up as a display.

Then he moved onto the arrows. This was even more difficult because Donald decided to make a game out of it too, but he messed up the order in which Sora had the items coming to him – he'd set them up on a little magical conveyor and he had to sort it before the next item came in – and sometimes a red potion would come out, sometimes it would be a bundle of arrows. So he had Goofy stand by the boxes as he tossed them and Goofy sorted them into their proper places.

The arrows weren't going to be sold, so once they were finished, they didn't need a display. Those were for later. He only dropped about five percent of the red potions, so he felt pretty good when Goofy caught the last one and put it on the display.

He went back out to pick up the special boxes when Malo came back, holding a bag with something inside. Most likely it was whatever Talo had stolen from him.

"All done already? Wow. So, pick what you like from the special boxes, but you can't have this!" He held up the bag. "If you're wondering what something is, just ask me, all right?"

So they sifted through the box. Donald didn't find anything he liked, really, so he didn't take anything. Goofy found a slim, durable shield made of copper that he added to their store of weapons. Sora found a small golden sphere, but wasn't quite sure what it was for. "Hey Malo?" he asked, "What's this?" Malo looked at it closely.

"It's a summoning sphere. Not sure what of, though. You know how to activate it, right?" Sora remembered his regular summons like Genie, and nodded as he put it in another pocket. "Yeah. I think I'll take that." Malo took the stuff from the other boxes and hid them away. "No looking! I'm saving a shield for Link too, when he comes back. Just let him know."

And he went over to where Renado and Colin were without another word.

Sora's ears twitched, picking up on something coming from the village entrance. As they stood by the door of the shop, he wondered, "Is he back already?" No. It was something else. It was the same Moblin, plus its cohorts, that had disrupted the peace of Ordona, and kidnapped the kids and Ilia. And it was headed straight for Talo and Beth, who were standing stupidly in the middle of the road.

Talo, at least, had the sense to turn and run, but Beth was standing stock still, most likely unable to move out of shock. Colin, the little hero, ran and pushed her out of the way, but when he recovered, it was too late for him to save his own life. "Colin!" Sora cried out, but he couldn't bear to see the boar run over the boy. He heard a sickening crunch as he turned away, unable to watch.

Then, as the beast rode further down the road, Colin in his huge green hand, Link came running around the bend in a fury, a wild, feral look in his eyes. He did not stop to greet Sora.

Sora, finally realizing the grim reality of it all, looked at the sphere he'd taken out of his pocket. If he wanted to do something (and find out what was in this thing) he had to do it now. He grasped the golden shining ball tightly, and said the words he said for every single summon:

_Give me strength!_

And he summoned the Keyblade to open the up the soul of the sphere, the energy surrounding him. In his mind's eye, he was standing in a wide, endless grassland, with the sounds of horse hooves thundering around him. A single, golden brown horse ran up to him, and motioned for him to mount.

This was going to be interesting. _Go, Spirit!_

Suddenly he was galloping after the monster right behind Link, riding the wild horse bareback, but brilliantly.

The monster held up Colin for all to see, like a trophy, and then ran off for the exit, blasting open the gate as he attempted to escape. When they arrived at the next area, there he stood on his mount, Colin tied at the top of his lance, unconscious. The horse Sora was riding looked back at him as if to say, _We can take him. _

The beast beckoned for them to follow him as he ran off across the plains. However…

"Damn! He cheated! He's calling his little friends!" Sora yelled over at Link as they began chasing him. "Not good," Link shouted back, "you think you can keep 'em off my back?" Sora nodded. "I sure can try! Come on, Spirit! Yah!"

He stayed behind Link as Link tried his best to stay close to the large Moblin and whack at him as fast and as safely as possible while Sora and Spirit kept the smaller Moblins away from him.

As long as Spirit's… well, spirit gave Sora strength, it was quite easy to keep the smaller ones away from Link. Actually, once he knocked them off their mounts it was pretty much finished, but sometimes they came back and continued to chase, which was annoying, but hardly worth worrying over.

After a long while, it seemed as if it was finally over. Worn out, the bigger Moblin galloped slowly over to the bridge, where something else awaited them.

It was a man clothed in black, but Sora highly doubted it was one of the traitorous members…

Once the big Moblin made it to the other side of the bridge, the figure flipped his hood over his head, revealing himself to be Xigbar, the _Freeshooter_. "Long time, no see, traitor," he said, the wind and rain beating against his sick, smiling face. Sora, who was right next to Link on Spirit, clenched his hands but didn't overreact. "Sure, right. I'm assuming you know this… thing we've been chasing?" Xigbar laughed. "Yeah. He's King Bulblin don't you know? King of the Moblins? Damn, you didn't know? Ah, who cares… it's not like you'll be knowing him for long." He flashed a malevolent grin before he looked up sharply at something beyond them.

"Oi! Get busy with the fire already, before the rain puts it out!"

Huh? Sora and Link looked behind them to see two Moblins with flaming arrows shoot them into the wooden barricades at the ends of the bridge, presumably so they couldn't escape. Sora looked down at Spirit, wondering if he could jump it, but even Spirit didn't seem to be up for jumping those flames…

So they would have to fight.

Link looked at Sora. "We only got one chance at this. Don't you have anything that'll stun him or hurt him real bad in one hit?" Thinking back, Sora nodded. "Yeah. You're gonna grab Colin, right?" Link nodded. "Right."

Xigbar, by now, was tired of talking. "Hey, you two numbskulls gonna fight, or what? I grow tired of all this chit chat." He looked at King Bulblin. "Get busy with the killing already, okay? I've got places to be." The King looked at him for a moment, but said nothing. Then he charged. And so did Sora and Link.

Sora was closer, riding harder and faster than Link. In order to do what he needed to do, Link had to be out of the Keyblade's range. Finally, he was ahead enough to start charging, and hit King Bulblin before the great Moblin even had a chance to raise his axe.

"Zantetsuken!" Sora cried, whacking him with his strongest finishing move in a flash of bright red light. Colin was let loose from the lance tied to Bulblin's mount, and Link caught him, riding ahead before Bulblin's out of control mount ran into him.

It was after this that Xigbar, upon seeing that Bulblin couldn't kill them, made his escape. Sora noticed it, but couldn't do anything about it. Both horses raised themselves triumphantly into the air, waving their hooves in victory.

They quickly made it back to the village, where Sora dismounted Spirit, and touched him gently on the nose to dismiss him. "Good horse…"

Then he turned to Link who was kneeling on the ground with Colin just waking up in his arms. "Link…" Colin asked him softly, "… is everyone okay?" Colin looked slowly over to each child, and smiled softly. "Good," he said with conviction. Link held him tighter, He was still trying to feel for any injuries (after all, he had been rammed by an armored boar) but he couldn't find any. "Do want me to cast Curaga?" Sora asked Link quietly. Link, slightly surprised, stared at him for a few moments before looking back. "I don't think it's that serious…"

Colin asked Beth if she was mad that he'd shoved her, to which she laughed softly and shook her head. Then he looked back up at Link and said, "I think… I finally understand."

Link was puzzled. "Understand what?" "I understand what my dad meant when he told me I needed to be stronger, like you, Link…" Link smiled gently, and pushed a stray lock of hair out of Colin's eyes. "And what does it mean?" he asked him softly, as if trying to make sure he had it right. Colin raised his hand in the air and whispered, "He wasn't talking about strength, like lifting stuff; he was talking about being brave…"

Link told hold of Colin's hand and nodded. "That's right."

"It… was you who saved me, right?" Colin asked him with a smile. Link smiled back. "I didn't do it alone." Colin shook his head. It didn't matter. "You… you can do anything. You… can do something to help the Gorons in the mines, can't you, Link?" He whispered again, with a ring of finality to his voice as Link nodded.

"Yes, I can." He looked up and back at Sora. "With Sora's help, yes, I'm sure of it." Then he looked back at Colin. He gave Link one last smile, and then drifted into unconsciousness. The other children tried to move for him, but Link held up a hand. Then he picked Colin up and handed him to Renado, who cradled him in his arms.

Renado nodded to Link as if to say, 'you have my permission. Go, finish what you've begun.' And he left, taking Colin away to clean him up and get some rest.

Link, Sora, Donald and Goofy then turned around and looked up at the mountain. It was time. Death Mountain, here we come.

* * *

Okay, I know that Spirit is not technically Disney, but it is one of my favorite movies (it has such a wonderful scores!) and is quite inspiring. As for Zantetsuken, that is one of the Limit Form abilities in KH2: Final Mix. It is a powerful finishing move that I took the liberty of giving to Sora in normal form (as any drive forms have yet to appear… perhaps later on, and as a drive from that can only exclusively be used in Hyrule) and finishing off Bulblin quickly because I'm being lazy and wanted to kill him off fast.

As for Xigbar, well, I'm not sure what to do with him. I know he's going to be part of the boss battle next chapter, but exactly how, I've yet to figure out. It'll come to me soon, I hope.

Don't forget! I needs feedback!


	8. Goron Mines

Chapter Eight: Goron Mines

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 8

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I swear! Do you think I would be writing this if did? (I am so running out of ideas for this disclaimer... can't I just paint like a sign, or something? Oh wait... this isn't DeviantART. Blast. XD)

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I love you people! Your reviews are inspiring! (sniffs) That and Zexion. He's become my new obsession. On with the fic.

* * *

Link was about to take a step forward towards the mountain, but felt Sora tap him on the shoulder. "Yes?" he asked softly.

"Malo said something about holding a shield for you. You might want to go see what he really means by that." Sora grinned. Link shared it with him as they walked into the refurbished shop.

But when they walked in, Link couldn't see him. Goofy chuckled. "Try looking over the counter. Link did so, and laughed quietly to himself. Malo, on account of being so short, could not be seen over the counter, and customers would have to look over the counter to see him. Sora grinned. "Why don't you use one of those boxes from earlier so people can see you, Malo?"

Malo thought for a moment. "I suppose…" Then he looked at Link. "Hey, you can look at stuff, but don't you _dare_ just take things…" Link looked appalled. "Why would I do that? You know me, Malo, I wouldn't…" Malo rolled his eyes. "It's just a warning, gosh. I'm just saying it's _my_ valuable merchandise and if you want it, you have to pay for it."

Sora was a little irked. "You said you were saving something for Link, right? Let him have it, then." Malo pointed to the Hylian Shield in the display. "It's two hundred rupees. You want it, you buy it. I never said it was free."

Sore rolled his eyes. "We got our stuff for free." Malo put his hands in his hips. "You helped me out. That was _your_ payment. Link has to pay his if he wants the shield." Link looked at his wooden Ordon Shield. It wouldn't stand a chance in the Goron Mines… mentally he sighed as well. But, Malo was Malo, and if he didn't get something out of a deal, it was usually a no-go.

He set two orange rupees on the counter. "There. Take 'em. So can I have it now?" Malo was surprised. "How did you…?" Link shrugged. "You'd be surprised how many rupees get stuck in pots and boxes and grass… sometimes Moblins leave them behind, too, when they die." Malo slid the shield over to him to silence him. "There. Take it." Link focused his energy into his hands and snapped his fingers, sending the shield into his pocket.

Sora tilted his head. "Magic? Where'd you learn that? Your ancestor?" Link slung the Hylian Shield across the sword's scabbard. "Sort of. That and Midna. I sort of picked up on it myself. I woke up after you fell asleep that night and experimented. The spirit said I had power, right? So, yeah."

"One thought led to another?" Goofy inquired. Link shrugged and nodded sharply as they exited the shop. "Yeah, pretty much."

Then they walked through the town towards the Goron Mines.

"So how are you gonna stop the Goron from hitting us?" Donald asked Link. Link grinned. "You'll see. And I'll need you all to sort of stay on my right, okay? No questions until we get there."

Donald and Goofy looked at Sora, who shrugged.

Once again they climbed up the grating, and the Goron spotted them coming. "Ho! You are back again, human? You will never pass! You cannot hope to match our brute force!" And then he started rolling again, but Link jumped down on the ground, using a similar trick from before, and suddenly there were boots made of iron on his feet instead of his old ones. Sora, Donald, and Goofy quickly ran to the right, as Link planted his feet, tense and waiting.

The Goron slammed against him like before, but he wasn't thrown back. Instead, he was struggling against the might of a ton or so of rock pounding against his half-gloved hands. He knew he had to do this quickly, so he dug in and used the Goron's own momentum against him, swinging him to his left and down towards the village below.

Sora blinked. "That, was really…" "… hard." Link seethed as he moved his arms around. "I'm fine, just a little stiff. I'm guessing there'll be more coming, so it'll take some getting used to."

It did, but the going wasn't necessarily easy from there on out, even with the iron boots. Sora offered to try, but Link shook his head, doubting the boots fit him. Sora's feet were a bit bigger than Link's, bulky boots or no, so he let the topic be. When they arrived at the iron structure that contained the Mine Entrance, the volcano was shooting down even more flaming rocks.

Link saw two Gorons up top, one getting up on the other and landing on the platform above. "I've got an idea, come on…" But that idea was cut short by the arrival of a giant rock, far bigger than any of the others slamming itself into the ground, nearly singeing off all the hair on their arms.

"Whoa," Midna interjected, "this looks dangerous." Her lips adapted a mischievous smile. "Is this the traditional Death Mountain welcome? Eee hee!"

Link looked up at the mountain. "This isn't right. I know that Death Mountain is a live volcano and everything, but it shouldn't be this active…" Sora followed his gaze. "Must be connected to whatever's in those mines, then." Donald and Goofy seemed to agree. Link showed them his idea of stunning the Gorons with a shield attack, and sending themselves up to the next level.

It was a slow going process, since Link had to do it twice, once for Donald and another time for himself, and the same went for Sora and Goofy – for _each_ Goron, but eventually they found themselves at the entrance to the entrance of the mines with only a few minor bruises and scratches.

"Hey Sora?" Link asked, looking himself over, "Can you cast that Curaga spell on me? I have a bad feeling about this, and I want to be at top strength for it." Sora didn't hesitate to do so, and they entered the door with Link's Iron Boots on his feet.

The room they entered was circular, and had a sumo wrestler's ring in the middle of it, and six angry Gorons, three on each side. Link flinched, waiting for the impact, as did Sora and his friends, but it never came.

"ENOUGH," boomed a voice from behind two of the Gorons guarding the Mine Entrance. The Gorons stopped to look back, and they separated to reveal a smaller, older Goron in sumo wrestler garb. "Who is that?" Sora asked quietly. "I'm not sure," answered Link, "but I think he's an elder. They're the oldest of the Gorons, and they're looked up to and respected. So I've heard, and read, but, well…" He wasn't sure, seeing as he'd never actually seen a Goron until half a day ago.

"Are these young ones such an imposing enemy," said the Goron, placing his hands on his hips, "that you must all gang up on them? I think not, Little Brothers."

Link, Sora, Donald and Goofy slowly walked up to the Goron.

"I am a Goron elder," the elder greeted them, "little humans. I am called Gor Coron." Link smiled a little. So he was right. Perhaps this wouldn't be so hard after all. "Because of certain… circumstances," Gor Coron said, with a hint of regret to his words, "I must lead the Goron tribe in place of Darbus, our tribal patriarch." Sora tilted his head. "What?" Donald nudged him. "He means their leader." Sora nodded, forming a silent 'oh' with his lips.

"Tell me, little humans, do you come from the village below?" Link decided to answer this question. "Not exactly. But we did come through the village to reach this place." The elder thought for a moment before speaking again. "You have done well to come this far. You are strong… for a couple of humans."

Sora and the others held themselves up a little straighter.

"However," the elder muttered, causing the heroes to slouch slightly, "the mines beyond here are sacred to my tribe. Outsiders are not allowed. Unless…" he looked down at them, scrutinizing their appearances.

Here, Link took offense, though it didn't show to the others. His eyes narrowed and he lowered his head just a little. He knew an oncoming insult from a mile away. But then, when he least expected it, the elder smiled. "I could make an exception… but you would have to beat me in a contest of power. You, the one in green. Are you willing to try that, little human?"

Link tapped his Iron Boots once, then twice, and looked up and answered a strong, "Yes."

So the elder took one side of the ring, and Link took the other, wearing his iron boots. The elder was old, but he was still a Goron and probably weighed the same as the others, if not less, and it wouldn't be by much. He was instantly glad for the Curaga spell Sora had cast; he was going to need it.

Gor Coron was the heavier, and Sora thought he would surely win. But Link was faster, and sidestepped nearly every blow the Goron tried to make. After dodging, he'd follow up with a quick, inhibiting slap and pushed him further toward the edge of the ring. He felt like he was pushing a wall, and he was pushing his muscles to the limits, but he was able to push the Goron out of the ring before he felt he couldn't go anymore.

Sora ran up behind him. "Here, take this, it's an Ether. It'll help get your energy back up. Crush it in your hands and it'll heal you." Link took the little blue box and did so, feeling better than ever afterwards.

"Young warrior," the elder began as he got up from the ground, "you have sharp eyes. Fine traits… want to see how well you can use them?" Link raised an eyebrow. "See how I can use them? All we really want to do is free you of the darkness in the mines so the village can stop living in confusion and fear." The elder nodded and sighed as Donald and Goofy joined Sora and Link.

"You have seen it, I would bet… the mountain erupting without pause…" Link nodded in understanding. "I thought it was acting strange."

"When the mountain began to rage," the elder continued, "all four of us elders and Darbus, our patriarch, went inside to investigate its anger. We have a treasure that was entrusted to us by the spirits. Do you understand?" Not wanting to say that the treasure was something he needed, Link simply nodded. "But the moment Darbus reached out and touched the treasure… everything went wrong. He collapsed… and before our very eyes turned into an unspeakable monster!"

Sora wondered if this was anything similar to being turned into a Heartless.

"He began to rage through the mines, trailing ruin behind him… and the eruptions grew more frequent and more severe. We used all of our strength to seal him deep inside the mountain… It… grieved us to do this to our patriarch… but we had no other choice of action."

Now that Sora thought back, it sounded similar to something the Beast had done, if not a reverse of the current situation, to protect his servants.

The elder gave one, final sigh. "So, I must ask this favor of you, young warriors. Go to the aid of Darbus! Make no mistake, the spirits have guided you here." Link almost laughed. If only he knew exactly how right he was… it was so close to unbelievable. "I, Gor Coron, need your help. On behalf of my entire clan, I ask you for your aid!"

Link nodded along with Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "We'll do everything in our power to save Darbus," he said, "that's a promise." Gor Coron nodded and looked back at the two Gorons guarding the entrance.

"You two! Let the young warriors pass!"

The two Gorons moved out of their path and the quartet entered the hot tunnel where it only got hotter… and hotter…

"Man!" Sora complained as they came across the long lava-filled room, "This is really hot! I can hardly see!" Then he realized he had a Firaga Bangle with him that he could replace his Gaia Bangle with. He felt less strong than before, but at least he could see. He offered one to Link, who politely refused. Donald and Goofy applied theirs to their wrists and after they were settled and were properly equipped.

It didn't take them long to reach a switch set in a corner next to a sideways pillar of flame. "Use the Iron Boots," Sora suggested to Link when his own weight didn't seem to be enough. And sure enough, his weight, combined with the weight of the Iron Boots was enough.

They barely made it past the pillar of flame before it turned on again. There was a second switch that also turned of a pillar of flame and it lasted longer, but again, Donald was barely able to miss getting his tail feathers torched.

"Can we leave now?" he said, making sure they were all intact. No one really said anything, they just laughed, except Donald.

They found another switch (and a fire slug, much to Donald's dismay) across a small gap and once pressed, it deactivated the pillar of flame at the far end of the small rock path that hugged the wall. They ran across it (Donald finally, officially ticked off and he shot a Blizzaga spell at the fire slug that fell as they passed) and just barely missed it – again.

"We really gotta stop with all these close calls," Sora said, "we're gonna to get hurt eventually if we don't." Link nodded. "Yeah. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, yes?" Sora rolled his eyes as they entered the next area.

"Left or right?" Sora asked at the split on the platform. Link, spotting a chest on the right path, immediately answered. He grinned when they discovered it was a key. Sora sighed, remembering their agreement from back in the Forest Temple. They opened the door on the right path and onto a steel platform. At the end of it was a Dodongo accompanied by two Sniper nobodies.

"Xigbar must be here somewhere if the Snipers are here," Sora said after they were defeated. "What, does he like control them or something?" Link asked. Sora nodded as he stood at the edge of the rock, ready to jump. Link, however, held him back. Just as he did so, a column of lava shot out in the space between Sora and his destination. "Remember those close calls you said we had to stop? That was one of them."

He grinned. Sora grinned back, but all he could think of was the fact that Link had just saved his life and done so using humor. He wasn't sure if he should thank him or be proud. In the end his just shrugged and followed Link across the area, trying his hardest not to get hit by the lava pillars.

Eventually they were able to move the stone wall blocking their way and into a room with water in it. Sora was confused. He looked at the water, then at the door behind him. "Are you sure we're still in the mines?" Link nodded.

"If you know anything about mining, it actually makes perfect sense. If you mine in conditions that are too hot, whatever you're mining is more than likely going to turn to slush. But if you put it in cool water quickly, it hardens up nicely. Makes me wonder exactly what they mine here. Perhaps stuff for the gunpowder in bombs… Barnes said something about that, I think." Donald, already up ahead called for them. "Does it really matter? We gotta keep moving!"

Link smiled and nodded. Then he turned to Sora. "Is he always like this?" Sora met his eyes and then rolled his own. "Of course. He's Donald. If he's anything else, he's even angrier than he already is." Link shrugged. "Or seems. Let's just keep going."

Link dived under and pressed down the switch at the bottom of the water, which activated… something that brought him up to a bright blue strip of something on the ceiling. Sora blinked. "Link? Um… why are you on the ceiling?" Then, when he turned his head, he saw that Link's hat wasn't falling in with gravity like it was supposed to. "And your hat is defying the laws of gravity…"

Link sort of stood there, hoping his feet didn't slip out of his boots. "Um… iron is magnetic, right? This must be a giant magnet, but you have to make contact with that stream of energy for it to be activated if you're not near the magnet." Sora thought for a bit. "I wonder if we could cast Magnega on our feet and it would work the same way…"

So he cast Magnega on his boots and swam into the light, twisting and turning until he was stuck right next to Link. "So that worked… how about moving?" Link moved down the strip (which was slightly disorienting since they were upside down) and Sora struggled – but found that he could walk – right behind him. Sora dismissed the Magnega and his rear collided, hard, with the metal landing. Link dismissed his boots and managed to do a tuck and roll so that he didn't land the way Sora did.

"Okay guys!" Sora shouted over to Donald and Goofy, "Just cast Magnega on your feet and dismiss it when you're safe!"

And so they made it to the next room in one piece… sort of.

"I'd still like to know how your hat did that…" "Shut up, Sora."

This next room was circular, and had a very old feel to it. This was probably because of the elder Goron standing in the middle of the room.

"Ah…" he said softly, "I thought I felt a presence… but, what a surprise to find four young warriors. Word has come to me of you… and if Gor Coron has faith in you, then your hearts must be true." Sora nodded with certainty. "That's right! After all, hearts are what are most important in this world." The elder smiled.

"Right… I am one of the four Goron elders. Gor Amoto is my name. You are heroic, young humans. Please, you must lend this tribe your power."

Gor Amoto then proceeded to take out a key shard and hand it to Link, the long blue stones shimmering slightly.

"That is one of the key shards that, when merged together, form the key to the room where Darbus is being held. He is our patriarch." Sora, tired of hearing this and that about their patriarch, decided to ask the elder a question. "Why is that patriarch so important? I don't understand…"

The elder nodded, seeing his plight. "He is our leader, our protector. Without him we are nothing. Do you see now?" Sora did see it now. It was a better explanation than the one Donald had given him.

"Well," the elder continued, "the key is split into three pieces. Each of us elders, excluding Gor Coron, keeps a piece. You must hurry to the other elders!" With that, they opened the chest for the map and climbed the ladder and proceeded through the temple. They found a wiggling pot up on the second level, which turned out to, once again, be the little chicken-thing, Ooccoo. They talked for some moments, but then she wormed her way into Link's pockets once again.

"How did it get out in the first place?" Sora queried. Link shrugged "I got a letter about it, but sometimes, in Hyrule, you don't question things, they just are." Sora nodded. He guessed the thing with Link's hat being able to defy gravity was one of them.

Now they were on the top of the water room. Sora and his friends cast Magnega again and they traveled with Link across the blue strip on the walls (which were sideways this time, and gravity once again had no affect on them) and through the door on the other side. Now they were on the second level of the sliding door room. Link activated the switch with his iron boots, which in turn activated another beam of magnetic light. They traveled across the strips on the ceiling, destroying the Nobodies and Fire Slugs as they went.

"The Snipers I can see being able to do this," Sora muttered, "they teleport around when they snipe." Link ignored him. "Things in Hyrule just are, remember?" Sora nodded, giving in. "I get it. Doesn't mean I'm okay with it." Link laughed.

They exited the room into another section of the crane room from the beginning of the mines. They came to another switch, and Link activated it, a crane beginning to move with a beam of magnetic light attached to the end.

They used that to travel to another switch guarded by a bunch of Snipers. "I really hate these things," Link muttered, picking out an arrow from his shield and tossing it into the lava, while activating the next switch that took them to another platform with a door. "They're actually weaker than before now that they're using plain arrows with their crossbows. It's weird. Before they used these metal ball things that really stung." Link shrugged. "Works for me."

The newest activated crane transported them over to a new area. "Haven't we been here before?" Sora asked, as he fought off more Snipers and Link slashed off the head of a Moblin before falling to the ground. "Don't think so. Just looks familiar." He said shortly, getting up and checking himself.

He was battered and had several bleeding cuts that stung, so he dug in his pack for a Red Potion and drank it, the cuts healing instantly.

In the room beyond were four Tektites, but they weren't much trouble. There weren't any Snipers to distract them. Sora saw a chest underwater that Link had overlooked, and guessed it was either a key or rupees, so he left it alone. Link jumped down into the water and pushed away a block on the bottom to get through the grating open to get to a new path on the other side. Sora and his friends followed.

Link stepped on another switch that activated a beam of magnetic light, which they used to get up to the next level via the ceiling. There was a second switch on the next level, which was also pressed and activated yet another beam of light. This one was sideways, interestingly enough, and when they jumped down to meet it, it did interesting things to Sora's stomach.

While Sora was attempting to keep himself from spewing his lunch, Link whacked at a blue gem, which turned yellow afterwards and opened up the gates they couldn't pass before. They had to hurry if they wanted to make it.

"I'm really starting to hate those magnetic light beams… crazy stuff." Sora muttered, rubbing his green-tinted face. Link smiled, and began walking up a new magnetic wall and to the right, over to where there was a rope that held up a door barring their path. He cut the rope which let the door fall and turn into a bridge, and they ran as fast as the possibly could between the two Beamos statues so they didn't get their asses fried. Well, everyone except Donald.

Sora unlocked the door across the bridge (much to Link's irritation) and they proceeded through to the next room.

The next room wasn't even a room; it was a large pool of water with several bridges and boxes and cranes all over the place. Moving forward and exploring the area while staying out of sight of the Moblin Archers, they came face to face with another Beamos statue. Link spotted a chest behind a metal pillar, which he used to defend himself with as he opened it, took out its contents, and ran back to the group.

"And I thought I was crazy," Sora said to Donald. Link, who heard, this, playfully hit him on the back of his head. "I'll get you for that," he warned. Sora laughed, unaware that Link had actually been serious.

Then an arrow shot right by Sora's nose.

"Crap. We've been spotted." Sora whispered, petrified. "Run!"

So they ran headlong into a small tunnel with a locked door that Link wasted no time in opening. They slammed the door behind them, a single flaming arrow making it between the gap before it closed. "That," Link said, waving a finger, "was another one of those close calls." Sora snorted. "Oh really? You think?" He flashed a grin at him that was returned with a roll of Link's eyes and a shake of his head.

"Hey, Link?" Sora asked suddenly as they climbed up to a higher platform. Link nodded. "Yes, Sora?" Sora was, quite simply, curious. "Um, you know how I've told you about me, well, is there anything about you we need to know?" Link and Sora ran ahead to them second magnetic spot on the revolving platform before it flipped over, with Donald and Goofy on the first spot.

"Other than the fact that I'm supposedly this chosen hero, I don't think so… unless you mean why I grew up in the village with no parents, really. Rusl looked after me because he was a friend of my father, but other than that, I don't remember much. Rusl always told me my father died in the wars and my mother died in childbirth so that little village is all I've ever known."

Link frowned, walking up to the third and final spot alongside Sora.

"But I've always felt like I didn't belong there; like I should be out in Hyrule exploring and fighting… there was a whole world out there I wanted to explore, but I was stuck in that village. Don't get me wrong, I love them all, such kind, sweet people… but… you understand, don't you?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah. My island back home was pretty much the same way. My best friend Riku had it worse than me, and that's what almost led him to his downfall in the darkness."

Link and Sora finally reached the last platform. "Did he ever get out of it?" Sora nodded. "Eventually. Then we sort of got separated, and found each other after the Organization's fall. Once we got together again we decided to travel, just for fun, but then I came across this place… only to find the Organization alive and up to no good, as usual." Sora sighed, folding his arms as Donald and Goofy took their places behind the troubled teen.

Link flashed him a comforting smile. "It'll work out. Remember, as long as we work together, we can do anything!" Sora smiled. "I bet if the Organization weren't here, you could've done this on your own." Link shook his head, blushing lightly at the offhand praise.

But, all this talk aside, there was work to do. They entered the next room.

It was another Goron elder, in a similar circular room with another level up top like the one before. This Goron was by far the oldest (by their guess, anyway) and was hunched over, holding a pipe.

"Oh… Ah… the young warriors." The elder greeted them, "I am please to see you make it this far, Brudda… I am one of the four elders of the Goron tribe. I am Gor Ebizo. You have heard about the plight of our patriarch. Otherwise you would not have come to see me. Here, take this Brudda…"

The strange elder handed them a second key shard, which Link pocketed.

"Now," the elder continued sharply, "There is one more shard, but seeing you has reminded me of the dangers that line the path to it…" Sora raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What… kind of danger?"

The elder appeared not to have heard. "There is something that may help you…" the elder persisted, "A weapon said to have been left in this mine by a hero of old. It is beyond price, and we have protected it through generations… Now, when our tribe balances on the brink of ruin, it could aid in our salvation. The hero's weapon is stored safely ahead… Talk to the guard and take it with you, with the blessing of the Gorons."

Sora had been listening intensely, his question forgotten. They climbed up the ladder and crossed the landing on the second level back out to the revolving floor room. They crossed the blue magnet trail on the wall to a deck below, careful to make sure they were dropping down on the deck and not into the water – for it was fairly easy to miss the drop – so that they could go through the door on level with the wooden platform.

When they entered the next room, in the middle was a large circular platform and they could see the Goron sitting across it, unaware of their entrance. It was only when Link stepped onto the platform lined with magnetic tiles that the Goron noticed him.

"Whoa…" said the Goron, getting up and chafing his iron gauntlet against one another, making a terrible screeching sound to their human ears, "Human? What business does a human have coming here? None! No business! I will protect this treasure from you!"

Then he jumped up and over to the platform, his sheer force of weight snapping the iron chains keeping the platform up and sending it slamming into the hot lava. Link nearly lost his footing but he applied the Iron Boots in time to keep himself from flying.

"Link!" Sora cried, diving down to help. Goofy and Donald wisely stayed out of the fight going on below.

Sora landed next to Link. "You okay?" Link looked at him with a sarcastically raised eyebrow and inquisitive eyes. "What do you think? I was nearly thrown into boiling hot lava!" The Goron growled. Link and Sora looked at it sharply.

"Looks like that guy's looking to finish the job," Sora muttered. Link didn't need to disagree. Link looked at Sora, and Sora looked at Link. Now it was time to have a little fun. Not to kill him – hopefully he'd come out of it eventually – but whack some sense into the raging Goron. So they jumped, running parallel on opposite sides of the Goron (Link had removed his Iron Boots for this), with Sora on the left, and Link on the right. They held their swords (Sora had his Keyblade, of course) rigidly at chest level, straight and narrow, making circles around one another, Link coming around the Goron's right with a roll, and Sora doing the opposite to his back.

The guard, unprepared for their double attack, rolled up into a spinning ball, which Link grabbed and threw a short distance against Sora's Reflega. That sent the guard sailing over the edge and into the lava, bouncing around until once again he landed on the platform, defeated.

"Ugh," the guard groaned, standing up, "That… hurt a lot. Who knew that humans were capable of such feats of strength? Uh… maybe you are going to see the patriarch of our tribe?"

Sora nodded, seeing the Link was out of breath and trying very hard not to show it. "Yeah, that's why. We figured if we knocked some sense into ya, you'd wake up and see we weren't here to steal anything." The guard nodded. "So THAT is why you are here! In that case, take the weapon of the Hero of the past, but in exchange, you must save the patriarch of our tribe."

Sora grinned, putting his hands heroically on his hips. "No problem."

With that, the platform began to rise, and Donald and Goofy met up with them again. "That was amazing Sora!" Donald exclaimed, "We're sorry we didn't fight with you." He stuck a thumb at Goofy. "Goofy's got a thing for heights." Sora leaned down, and leered at him playfully. "Are you sure it isn't you with the height problem?"

"What?!" Donald panicked, jumping back on one foot. Goofy and Sora laughed while Link watched and just smiled.

They crossed the platform and headed through the door, but were surprise to meet someone one the other side leaning against the chest in the middle. "Hey, Sora, Roxas. Whatcha doin' here?" Sora was surprised to hear a voice in his head that was most definitely _not_ his cry out.

_Axel! Hey Sora, tell him I said I missed him, won't you?_

Sora blinked and replied back, _Roxas?_ _Yes, yes! I'll tell you the details later, okay?_ Sora tried his best not to look like he was crazy and nod his physical head. _Uh, sure. But you better spill once we get out of here, got it?_

There was no reply, but he felt Roxas would make good on his promise.

"Hey Axel." Sora said, pushing the event behind him. "Roxas says he missed you." Axel, the black-cloaked man with fiery red, spiky hair, tattoos on his face, and bright neon green eyes, grinned. "Yeah, I missed him too. Anyway, what am I doing just chit chatting, huh?" Axel gently pushed off from the chest and motioned to it.

"Zex left you a couple things in there with that 'treasure' of the dead hero. Thank him when you see him next, okay? Zex, not the dead guy. And be careful in here, all right? You're not fire-proof like me." He grinned.

Sora was puzzled. "But, wait! You're not fire proof… the last time we saw you, they…" Axel waved a hand. "Details, details. Just be careful, got it?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Fine. Hey, mind telling us who else is rebelling against the Organization besides yourself and Zexion?" Axel's grin widened only slightly. "You'll just have to wait and find out. I think it'll be a nice surprise. But there's only one other. Everyone else you have to fight." He stopped for a moment and then winked. "Be seeing you, Sora." His eyes flickered to Link.

"You too, Hero." And he stepped into a dark portal and instantly disappeared.

Link blinked and looked at Sora, deflated. "You know what, I give up." Sora chuckled. "It'll start to make sense eventually, but until then, I wouldn't even bother asking questions." Link rolled his eyes and headed for the chest, opening it for a bow and quiver full of arrows.

"This should make things a lot easier." He slung the quiver in the opposite direction of his scabbard and slid an arrow into a notch on the bow, aiming for the rope that held up the stone blocking their path. "Hey Link? Have you even picked up a bow before this?" Then he noticed the two pieces of paper in the bottom of the chest.

The one paper was a full sheet most likely from Zexion's book, the other was a letter from Zexion himself. The full sheet said:

_Hero's Bow:_

_The Hero's Bow is used for attacking when close combat is either dangerous or unlikely to happen. Slide an arrow into the notch and judge the distance by using the top of the arrow for better accuracy (see Hawkeye). Attachments can be placed on the Hero's Bow to allow enhanced performance such as Bombs, Water Bombs, Bomblings, and Hawkeye(s). _

_Fyrus:_

_Also called the Twilit Igniter, Fyrus is the form Goron Patriarch Darbus took when he touched the Fused Shadow. To defeat him, shoot the glowing gem on the forehead of his face-mask to stun, and trip him by pulling on one of his chains. After he has fallen, shatter the gem. _

The letter:

_Sora, _

_I am certain that my former partner Xigbar has been sent into the Goron Mines to make things difficult for you. _

_This, however, I very much doubt will stop you from actually reaching Darbus's chamber, though in the actual fight against him it may be problematic, as Xigbar's thoughts are often careless and unpredictable, even to my eyes. Xigbar may not actually fuse himself with Darbus, as it is unclear if doing so can be reversed. Since I know for a fact that even though he is not the sharpest of us, he is one of the strongest, be prepared for anything. _

_Oh, he also likes to taunt people into fighting, so do not be fooled by his twisting words._

–_Zexion _

Link shrugged. "Not really. But it feels as if I already know. It's very strange, but in light of our current situation, I see it as a blessing and not something I should question, yes?" Sora, slightly wary but aware of the truth of Link's logic, just shrugged and let him be.

Somehow, Link nailed the rope in one shot and the stone wall came down with a thud, also giving them access to the next room.

The Beamos in the next room all seemed dead to the world and didn't activate even as Goofy, the last of them, entered the room. However, they _all_ lit up when Sora went near the one at the very end. They all panicked, except for Link, who snapped and shot off arrows at the red jewels that shot the waves of flame in rapid succession, managed to defeat all of them in less than a minute with twenty of the original arrows still left in his quiver.

Sora, who was just now recovering his composure, grinned sheepishly. "Uh… sorry?" Link snorted. "I think you owe me twice now for saving your skin, you know." Sora waved a finger. "I saved you from that Goron, right?" Link shrugged and looked away. "I could've taken him…" Sora chuckled softly. "Sure, Link, sure."

"You still owe me one." Sora groaned, Link chuckled.

They discovered that some of the dead Beamos could move. So, as Link was going around, trying to find the arrows he'd shot off, Sora found a couple of fire slugs, forty-one rupees, two arrows stuck in a pot, and the dungeon's compass. He stuffed everything in a pocket – except for the compass and the fire slugs, which he killed (he gave the compass to Link) and didn't keep – and wondered if his surcoat's pockets were like the bottomless pouches Link's tunic was equipped with.

They also found another, closed-off room, in which was the last, and final elder.

This one was skinnier and darker than most of the Gorons they'd met, tall, covered in blue tattoos and sprouting a dry set of dreadlocks. He was also meditating, and his room smelled of sandalwood incense. (A/N: It's actually very good, by the way, though it does make some people faint.)

As they entered he said, "Ah! You are here at last! I heard that you might pay a visit, young warriors, as I am farsighted in all things. Here you go… the last key shard! Combine all three shards!"

Then he handed the last shard to Link, who now held the complete key in his hands.

"If you use that key," the elder went on, "you can open the room where Darbus, the tribal patriarch, is being held. Who know how powerful Darbus is in his new grotesque form… But I suppose I should trust your power considering that you've come this far. Hurry now, to the patriarch's room!"

They did not question him,

They entered the door past the Beamos that had activated the others, and ran down the pathways, killing Snipers, Dodongos, Fire Slugs and the like in their wake, stepping on switches and using the light beams they often activated to reach high places.

The first was the gem that opened the door to what they could only assume was the second level of the wooden area before, though none cared to look. In actuality, it was the area before the area before the area with the water. (A/N: Sorry if that makes no sense to you. XD) There was another switch in that area after shooting down another barrier, which took them to a door that they quickly entered.

"Now here we've been before," Sora observed as the jumped across the stones to the sliding door. "And what are those, huh?"

"They're called Toadpoli. Not very smart, or very fast, though if they hit you with their spit projectiles it'll hurt like hell," said Midna as one such projectile was shot through her shadow form. "Yeah," said Sora sarcastically as they went through the door, Link just having shot the gem that made it move, "thanks for that."

Now that they were finally back in the wooden ramp room, they had the fire power to take out the Beamos statue from before, after taking out the various Moblins stationed around the area.

The Beamos in particular was one that moved once defeated, and revealed a path up. They took it, and once they turned the corner… a couple of barrels blew up in their faces. "Gah. I hate being shot at…" Sora cursed. Link rolled his eyes after he fired an arrow past the Moblins shooting at them into some explosives, and then laughed. "Who doesn't? Am I right?"

Sora just pouted and glared at him gently.

Link stepped on a switch that activated a crane to their left. They jumped onto the platform and waiting for it to swing back around, where they proceeded to be drug up through the air and moving towards a stone door. "No problem," Link said, and aimed an arrow at the rope.

It snapped, and the stone fell, creating a landing pad, which they had to wait for the crane to swing around again to land on. Once on it, they entered the door and into the chamber before Darbus's.

It didn't take very long. Link looked at Sora. "You ready for this?"

Sora grinned. "What? To kick an Organization member's butt? Oh yeah." The voice of Roxas in Sora's mind laughed quietly. _Wish I could be there with you…_

Sora tried his hardest not to hear the disappointment in his voice as they entered Darbus's chamber.

Inside, it was very dark, and they could faintly make out the dim outline of what they could only assume was Darbus's transformed alter ego, Fyrus. Xigbar was standing right next to the giant chained creature, a small flame hovering at the very tip of his right sniper rifle. He was examining it carefully as they walked in, and didn't look up as the door locked behind them; he simply smiled.

"Well, well… seems you've made a bit of a nuisance of yourself, my friends? Why not surrender to the darkness? Your nobodies might actually be of use to us; oh, except yours, Sora, seeing as he left us." Roxas was seething quietly, to which Sora told him he wasn't doing any good do so and he quieted.

"Why don't we just get on with the fighting already, huh?" Sora snapped. Xigbar grinned. "Why? Got someone in your head complaining about my choice of words?" Sora's eyes widened slightly. How did he know? Did he know? Well, whether he knew or not, he wasn't about to let anything on to Link or his friends. "Yeah," he answered, "me!"

And then he charged with his Keyblade. Xigbar met his charge with a block of his two sniper weapons, and parried him, shooting the giant sleeping creature with the other gun. Fyrus, now completely awake, roared as he broke his chains clear off the wall. Link was scared stiff, and when Fyrus leaned down to roar in the Hero's face, he could do little more than blink. It was the clattering of bullets and other projectiles coming from the duel between Sora and Xigbar that finally set him out of his petrifaction.

He looked back at Donald and Goofy.

"Hey, can you two handle Fyrus for a few moments? Sora looks like he needs help." Donald nodded. "Go on and help Sora," said Goofy, "he's been acting funny since we saw Axel." Link looked off to where they were fighting. "Something tells me that bit about that voice in his head that Xigbar mentioned might actually be true. But, in order to find out, we need to get out of here, alive, and with that Fused Shadow." So he set off for Sora's duel.

"Do you know why you can hear him, Sora?" Xigbar asked, grinning wickedly. Quickly he pried a little information out of Roxas.

_Look, I really don't want to be told about why you're here by __**this**__ guy, okay?_ Roxas was silent a moment. _When I rejoined with you in Castle Never Was… wait, actually, it was when I saw you for the first time in that chamber. You remember?_ Sora had been asleep, so the question was kind of pointless, but he said yes anyway. _Yeah, why?_

_I'm not entirely sure what happened after your memories were restored. I think since then, I was always a part of you; too much of myself had been given to your memories, to help Naminé, so… _

"Well do you? You better answer soon; cause all I'm hearing is oblivion! Funny, weren't you there once? Oh wait, you don't remember that, do you?" Sora shot off a Firaga spell, which caught the hem of his cloak. "Care to enlighten me?"

_What happened in the World That Never Was? You fought with me then._

"Nah, I think I'll let you wonder. It's much more fun that way." Xigbar laughed, shooting off several rapid rounds of bullets at Sora, not watching the figure behind him in the shadows, readying a glinting arrow.

_I had enough energy back to take a corporeal form for a single fight against you; but it was only temporary. Ever since I joined with you at Castle Never Was, things have been different. And then, when the Organization came back, I tried to find out why but now I can't. I've grown… attached to you. Well, if that's even possible for a Nobody – hey, look out!_

Sora tried to parry Xigbar's blows, but he was a second too late, one last power struggle against Xigbar's immense, intense strength sending him falling against the floor, his Keyblade spinning out of his hand. Xigbar walked up to him, holding a rifle towards his face. "Looks like you don't. And never will… AH!" Xigbar fell to the ground, an arrow stuck in the small of his neck at the tip of the spinal cord.

Slowly, he began disappearing. "Heh, maybe you do know…" Sora watched him fade just a little longer. Then he knelt beside him and said, "Sorry, looks like you'll never know it though." The surprised look on Xigbar's face almost made him laugh…

… If it weren't for the rampaging fire tyrant in the middle of the room. Link walked up to Sora, handing him his Keyblade. "Looks like our friends need help. We'll talk later, all right? We need to rest after this anyway, I can't go on much longer just on Ethers and Potions." Sora nodded.

"I know what you mean. Real sleep is better." He grinned, sending a mental message to Roxas about the lucid dreaming. He could almost see him cringe.

Link and Sora arrived beside Donald and Goofy. "Took you long enough!" Donald squawked angrily. Link raised an eyebrow. "It's not as easy as it sounds shooting an arrow in the dark, okay?" Donald just put his hands on his hips. "No time!" Sora said, a blast of flame just missing his feet. "We gotta bring this guy down!" Link nodded he shot an arrow into the gem up top of the creature's helm, and quickly ran to pick up a chain to trip him with. Sora went ahead and blasted the gem with a Blizzaga, and Link finished him off in two seconds with a power blade slash that knocked the gem clean off the helm.

After that, Fyrus snapped back, howling in pain and fading fast. Bits of shadows flaked off and he began to shrink, and once enough shadows had peeled from Darbus's form, he fell to the ground. He was still breathing, but obviously in incredible pain.

But before they could investigate, Link receives another Fused Shadow and Midna takes it in her hair… hands.

"Eee hee hee," she laughed softly, "Well done! Now we have two Fused Shadows! Hmm… you know, you've been very helpful so far, so as a reward, I'll tell you a very interesting story." She paused, letting the information sink in. "Zant. That's the name of the King of Darkness who cast this pall of shadows over your world. He's very strong. You would be nothing in your current state." She looks at Sora.

"Even you, Keyblade master, as powerful as you are. But, Zant will never be _my_ king, and I have nothing but scorn for his supposed strength." Link could see that there was pain behind her eyes. He wondered why. But she didn't seem to show it, as she continued on.

"Not that your Zelda is much better. It appalls me that the world of light is controlled by a princess. A carefree youth, a life of luxury… how does that teach duty?" Sora raised an eyebrow. "You actually care about duty?" She looked offended for a second, but brushed it off. "But I guess I shouldn't begrudge her the circumstances of her life. She didn't chose it, after all. And I would never wish harm upon her. No, as long as I can get my hands on the Fused Shadows, I'll be just fine."

She stops again, looking at them and the flashing a quick smile. "Well," she said as she created another portal, "just one more left, shall we?"

Before they decided to go, they walked over to Darbus.

"Hmm," he said, groaning into the pain, "What am I doing here? Unngh… My head, it aches… So much pain… I cannot remember anything…"

Sora was about to speak, but Goofy tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh, Mr. Darbus, sir? You defeated a great monster here to save your tribe. But now that it's gone, your tribe is in trouble and in need of your help."

Though he was confused, he understood what Goofy was saying, so he said nothing as they stepped into the portal and warped away.

* * *

Gah! This… took… so long… ugh. The boss battle is sort of, well… it doesn't suck, but you can tell I really didn't know what to do. Most of it was actually Roxas and Sora talking to each other, XD.

My favorite part was Axel. I totally nailed him, like so on the dot it's not even funny. Well, it is, but, yeah. I love Axel.

Oh and as for the Magnega theory, well, it has part of the word magnet in the name, right? Yes, I know what it's actually supposed to do (I used it in that level-up-quick trick for KH2 so I know what Magnega actually does), but the Iron Boots are sort of a one of a kind thing, so… yeah. Just let me bend the rules a little, okay? Otherwise Sora, Donald, and Goofy would've had to wait in that oven of the temple for forever just waiting for Link to figure things out on his own. :D


	9. Feeling

Chapter Nine: Feeling

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 9

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If all this were mine, I would have made Kingdom Hearts use Hyrule as a world already and made me a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh series. I don't own Zelda or anything else, okay? The only things I own are my characters and my yami.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

More Spirit rescuing. Blah. I want to get to the Water Temple already! One of my other favorite members is there… Our hooded mystery people haven't appeared in awhile either… huh. Maybe they'll make an appearance this chapter? Perhaps… Eee hee! XD

Oh, and perhaps I should explain which is Sora and which is Roxas. There's also some spirit talking in this chapter, too, so… yeah. Just so you won't go in circles trying to figure it out:

_Sora talks like this_

_Roxas talks like this_

'_Light Spirits talk like this' ("Or like this once their light is restored")_

Capishe? Okie dokie. On with it then.

* * *

After they arrived back at the Spring of Eldin and received instructions to head for Lanayru Province and liberate it of the twilight, as well as some farewell sentiments from the recovered Colin and the other children of Ordon, Renado, and even Barnes, who supplied them with some bombs upon their return.

Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy stayed there a day after to let their wounds heal naturally (sometimes having magic heal your wounds all the time could actually be _bad_ for your health) and just generally catching up on rest and missed meals.

Malo's shop was now officially Malo's Mart, and he sold them a Hawkeye, one of the special items he'd been hoarding, and explained to them how to use it. Link experimented with combining arrows and bombs and getting a feel of the Hawkeye's controls. When they felt they were ready, Sora summoned Spirit, and he mounted him with Donald sitting behind him. Goofy accompanied Link on Epona.

They rode across the field quickly, only stopping once for a quick meal of fried Leever. A pair of boulders blocked their path forward once they reached the end of the Bridge of Eldin, and as soon as the dust cleared, a set of three Messengers fell from the sky.

Link gasped quietly. "How do we take care of them now? We don't have our beast skills…" Sora and Donald dismounted Spirit, who wisely ran off to the side of the enclosed area the monsters had conjured up and stayed away. "We do it the old fashioned way, of course!" Link, who felt rather stupid, dismounted Epona alongside Goofy, and sent her to stand next to Spirit.

Goofy and Donald took out one Messenger together, and once the last two were close together, Sora and Link preformed a second joint attack (similar to the one Sora remembered being able to accomplish with Auron) and took them out at once, creating another portal. Speaking of portals… "Gah! The bridge is gone!" Link walked over to the gap between where they stood and what remained of the bridge on the other side. "Looks like we have to press on from here."

"Guess so," Goofy agreed. They took a glance at the wall of twilight, and judged that it wasn't too far of a walk. So Sora dismissed Spirit and Link took everything he needed off of Epona and hoped she would be all right (there was plenty of grass and a nice spot of shade so he have to chance it) and they walked, or rather ran, from there to the wall of twilight.

"Ah," Midna sighed happily, "we're finally here. There's only one Fused Shadow left… So this is the last of the twilight you'll see, I guess. Whether or not you accomplish your final task and survive is up to you… Eee hee! So what will you do?"

"We're going ahead, of course," Link replied. "So do want me to let you into the twilight?" Link raised an eyebrow. "Is that a trick question? Of course!"

With a light, airy giggle Midna flew into the golden-black wall and grabbed them into the twilight for (hopefully) the last time.

.oOo.

Vexen and Larxene walked through the space between spaces in tact compliant silence. But even with threats as threatening as Vexen's, his icy demeanor could only affect Larxene's spark for so long.

"So, Vex, what do you think the Superior has in mind for us?" Vexen rolled his eyes. "I thought I asked you to be silent, No. XII…" She giggled quietly.

"Well, perhaps you did. But you know me, I can't be quiet forever." Vexen snorted in a smooth, classy fashion. "Perhaps I had forgotten your inability to keep your trap shut. Forgive me." His lips formed into a venomous sneer. Larxene laughed. "So what do you think, huh? He's got to have something exciting for us both if he's asked for not just me but you as well! I do hope it's an experiment, _those_ are _always_ fun to carry out."

The sarcasm dripping form her voice was practically a waterfall.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept those comments to yourself. A scientist can't have his good reputation tarnished." Now it was Larxene's turn to roll her eyes. "You never had a reputation to begin with, Vex!" Vexen turned on her, Larxene only raising an inquisitive eyebrow at his sudden movement.

"Of course I did! My reputation was one of the greatest!"

Larxene poked his shoulder. "Right. So tell me, why were you the only one banned from recruiting new members again?" Now Vexen was really vexed. (A/N: That wasn't on purpose, but it's a good line, lol) "Hold your tongue, No. XII!"

"No. IV! No. XII! Silence your bickering!"

The two of them spun around when they heard the other member's voice. "What is it Saïx?" Vexen asked quietly, ashamed at having been found trying to argue with Larxene. Everyone in the Organization knew it was pointless to try to win an argument against _her_.

"I've come to tell you what our Superior wishes of you, yes?" The two of them nodded, their fighting forgotten. "The Superior says that he'll forgive your past misgivings if you go to this location–" here he handed them a card with said location written on it "–and stop this Hero and the Keyblade master who accompanies him. And try not to fail… the _Graceful Assassin_ and the _Freeshooter_ have already fallen at their efforts. I doubt you'd like to be next."

With that, he left them standing there, looking at each other. "We're working _together_?!" They both asked.

Saïx grinned to himself. "Yes. And while you're at it, try and erase the traitor that's run away from us won't you?" Then he disappeared into the darkness, leaving Larxene and Vexen to stand there and glare at one another.

.oOo.

"You can smell the girl, can't you?" Midna asked, taking a good look at Link. "I can tell because of the look on your face. Well good, it's another clue, then! But this scent is quite old… I wonder if she's still all right? Eee hee!"

Link growled, but didn't say anything as they ran forward, Goofy spinning after them and Donald flying above them, surveying the countryside for the trail. "It's really long… we could be running a while…" It didn't matter to Link. But it was a long run.

They could see Hyrule Castle in the distance, remembering the last time they'd been there, among other things.

It wasn't very long before they could actually enter Hyrule Castle Town, either, and it was positively crawling with spirits! "Oh wow," Sora whispered in awe, "there's so many!" Vaguely he wondered how his town back home would look if it was like this…

(A/N: Gives me an idea… maybe there will be a sequel? XD)

They followed Ilia's scent, weaving in and out of the spirit people. They found that it came to a stop at a door they couldn't open (no hands), but then it left it, and ran down more corridors, winding to a stop at an (thankfully) open door, which they slipped through.

Inside, to Link's relief, was Ilia, safe and sound.

Except she was a spirit and he was a wolf she couldn't even see. They walked over to her to hear what was going on.

Ilia was watching a sick Zora child on the bed, her expression pained. "This boy…" she asked quietly, "Can you save him?" The larger woman with plump cleavage held together nicely with a combination of several outfits (Marksman, swordsman, barmaid among several others…) assured her, "All right, little lady, try to settle down. Okay? I just sent for the doctor…"

The woman did find something strange about it all, however. "But this is strange… a child of the Zoras… I wonder if this is at all related to the incident the soldiers were talking about in back…"

"Aw, what an emotional reunion!" Midna said glibly, "Yes, a girl and her wolf! Eee hee! Sorry, but you know how it goes, these folks can't see you either…" Midna laughed softly as Link ruffled his fur like he was shaking off water and shut her up quickly as he went over to hear what the soldiers were saying.

"I've received orders why we can't visit the spirit's spring in Lake Hylia! Got that?" said the commander of the small band of troops. "But," one soldier whined, "The people are complaining that they can't go!" The commander huffed. "An order's an order!"

With that, Midna jotted down the location on their map and told them to hurry it out of there.

"The only way out is to the west," said Link as they made their way through more spirits, "since the east is locked and the south is blocked." He grinned. "Please don't tell me that what I just said rhymes, either. We got stuff to do."

"That's right!" said Midna, "Now hop to it already!"

They ran out the west gate and through the west exit of the area, heading through a long rocky pass, avoiding Shadows, Neoshadows, and other twilit monsters until they burst into a small field with a splitting path, one that followed to a house they knew they couldn't enter, and the other to a bridge that overlooked what Sora guessed was Lake Hylia.

They made it halfway over the bridge when Midna looked around and asked, "Hey, do you smell anything funny?"

Sora sniffed the bridge and hissed. "This is black powder! And some kind of oil… but, why is it here?" Link looked around and a low growl erupted from his throat. "I can only guess… look." Two twilit archers, one on each side of the bridge, holding bows and flaming arrows shot them into the explosive mix. Sora yowled. "We gotta get outta here!"

"You think?" Midna asked him sarcastically, spotting a box on the side of the bridge. "Push that to the edge and jump! There's no other way!"

_Oh well__,_ Sora thought, _at least the lake will break our fall._

.oOo.

When they landed, they all looked around. _What lake?_ Roxas asked Sora, _This is a puddle!_ Sora looked to Link and Midna, Donald finally reaching them and Goofy finally surfacing.

"Isn't there supposed to be a lake here?" Sora asked. Link shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe there's an issue with the source." He nodded his head off to the gap in the cliffs. "I think it's that a way." They made their way to dry land and found a guy standing at a strange looking house.

"Hurrrm… I'm too old for this…" he sighed and muttered, "Fyer and Falbi's Watertop Land of Fascination… It's our grand re-opening at our new lake bottom location… whee." He didn't sound too excited. "Hurrrm… yeah, nice lake. Don't lakes have, you know, a little more water? Did the Zoras who live upriver do something? Or is it a curse from the spirit that lives up there?" He looked at both places as he mentioned them.

"Whatever. It's not like I can go up and complain… it's way too high." He sighed again and for a while, did absolutely nothing. But then he saw something far off; a Twilit Bokoblin.

"Whuzzat, a customer?! YIKES, IT'S A MONSTER!" He then proceeded to cringe and hug his knees. "Well," Sora said, looking down on him, "let's help out Mr. Damsel-in-Distress over here and kill it. Maybe we'll find something over there." Link shrugged. "Couldn't hurt." Turns out, it could. The thing summoned up a Twilit Kargaroc that attacked them until they rammed it off and killed it. Midna took command of the thing and magically tied Sora and Goofy to the back of it, picking up Link in the creature's claws.

"Why don't we use this guy to head for the lake's water source? You! Magician! You can keep up on your own right?" Donald spluttered. "I have a name!" She shrugged. "Can you keep up or not?" Grumbling, Donald nodded his head. Midna grinned. "Perfect! Now let's go!"

And so they used the bird to get to the source, which apparently seemed to be frozen over.

"This would be why there's no water in the lake, I think," Sora observed. _You think?_ Mentally, Sora laughed.

Link looked ahead, where the ice seemed to be thicker. "Let's go that way. Maybe we can find out how bad it is." Midna shivered. "You're going _towards_ the freezing area? Ugh… I don't have fur or feathers or whatever he's got-" here she flicked her head in Goofy's direction "–to keep myself warm!"

Link chuckled. "But what if the only way of getting to the spring is by going through here?" She sighed, then sneezed, and shivered. "Yeah, yeah… fine. Just don't expect me to like it…"

They didn't.

They made their way to Zora's Domain, and jumped along the frozen waterfall (or at least that's what it looked like to Sora) and into a chamber high up top. Inside were more Messengers and Neoshadows, but this time it was easy to take 'em out because of Midna's charge attack. Once they were defeated, a new portal opened up.

"A new portal has opened here, too! Now we can warp! Hey, if you ever want to take a breather in the world of light, let me know."

Sora looked around, and around, until Link nudged him softly in the side.

"Sora? Look down." So he did. Down below were several Zoras, all frozen in the ice. "Whoa.. this is serious…" Link frowned. "Well, if we could just thaw them out… I mean, they're perfectly preserved…" Then Sora remembered something. "What about that huge volcanic rock at Death Mountain! You remember, the one that fell on us?" Link snorted. "How can I not? You think that thing's still hot?"

Sora shrugged. "Only one way to find out… Midna? Can you take us there?" Midna looked at the map. "Yep! Just gimme a sec."

She warped them right in front of the giant glowing heat source.

"This thing has been here for a while," she said, examining it, "but it just might work. Want me to warp?" Link nodded. So, with all her strength, Midna blasted it a ray of twilight magic and transported it through the warp portal, taking them with it.

The rock crashed into the water, breaking the ice and freeing the Zoras. At the same time, the pent up water from the source blasted out of the entranceway and out into Zora's Domain, breaking off all the ice and snow that used to be the waterfall from before.

"Who knew that something so dangerous could come in handy?" Midna asked casually. "All right, the Zoras are safe now, so let's go." Sora nodded. "With the way this river is flowing, we should get to the spirit's spring in no time."

But when they made to leave…

"Wait!" A melodic voice called out to them. They were all surprised to hear any voice at all call out to them, so they turned around to see the spirit of a female Zora floating gracefully above the water's surface.

"Please, you must allow me to thank you for revitalizing both my people and this spring, which is the water source for all the lands of Hyrule. In life," she said softly, "I was the elder of this village and the queen of my people. I was called Rutela."

"Not to be rude," Midna said, nonchalant, "but we didn't exactly do it for you guys…" Sora coughed. "Speak for yourself…"

A small smile graced the Zora's lips, but she didn't comment. Instead, she said, "The dark ones raided my village, and as a message to my people, executed me before them. Young warriors… you who take the forms of proud beasts… I have something to ask of you. When the dark ones descended upon our village, I sent my young one, Ralis, to Hyrule Castle to inform Princess Zelda of our fate."

Here, she paused and looked away slightly. "But… I fear danger followed him from this doomed place. I feel it… his presence grows fainter over time… But my time in this world has passed, and though I would give it gladly, I no longer have a life to risk in his rescue."

Sora looked down at the ground. _Would Kairi say the same thing, I wonder?_

Roxas's spirit rubbed up against Sora's. _I know I would._

Sora, slightly startled, looked back up at the Zora with the others. "Please," she asked them, "would you save my dearest, Prince Ralis?" Link nodded. "We'll sure try, Queen Rutela." She smiled. "If you do this thing for me, I will bestow upon you the protection of water. This power will grant you the ability to swim and respire as if you were a Zora. Please… save my son…"

And with that, she vanished. Midna laughed softly. "So if we help her you'll gain the power to swim like a Zora, huh? So what do you say, Hero? Eee hee! … Oh, but now that I think about it, I don't think we should be meeting the prince as beasts, should we?"

Link huffed. "I think we already did. Remember that Zora child back at the bar?" Sora gasped. "You really think that was him?" Link wasn't sure. "Either that or some other Zora child stumbled upon Ilia and was brought to that place… but Midna's right. We need to restore our human forms first."

"Let's follow the river then," Sora said, watching the fast current, "you too, Donald. I don't think even you could keep up with how fast this river's going…" Donald agreed and they took a trip in the fast flowing river.

They ended up at the entrance to the spring, thankfully.

Once Sora finally came to –_Man, wasn't that a rough ride?_– they entered the spirit's spring. They had every idea of what they would find there, and it was pretty darn close to what they had in mind.

'_I am… the last of the spirits of light… consumed… by twilight… Heroes… Chosen ones… You have… done well… to make it this far… Gather… my scattered Tears of Light… that were stolen by shadow… Gather them… in this…'_

They received another Vessel of Light.

'_I am sure… you know by now… the forms… that these dark insects take… when they steal… our light… In this shadow realm… the twilight insects… are invisible… like the humans… of this world… Collect… my light… lift the final cloud of twilight… that threatens to cover… all of Hyrule…'_

This time, their map was marked with the locations of the bugs, and Midna cursed when she saw it. "Damn! They're everywhere!" Sora shrugged. "Well let's start with the ones that are the least convenient to get and go from there." Sora saw there was one across from a little strip of land to their right. "Be back in a jiff, okay?"

He came back with a Tear of Light in his mouth, which returned to the Vessel immediately. "Now let's go that way. I think I saw some electricity move across the bridge."

Not only that, but once they killed the bug, some Messengers and Neoshadows had to appear afterwards, which, they supposed was a good thing since it opened a new portal. They jumped across some rocks to kill a bug on the other side, and hopped back over across to the floating house thing on the water where there the last bug in the immediate area was.

"So what now?" Sora asked, looking at the map with Midna. Link spotted some hawk-grass on a small island that they'd passed to reach the house. "We could always call that bird back to take us up to Upper Zora's River," he suggested. Couldn't hurt.

So he called the Twilit Kargaroc using the grass (howling, of course) and once again they were flying through the pass, this time catching a total of four bugs on the way there.

When they landed, Link spotted a spirit sitting on the steps. "Let's listen to it. Maybe it'll give us a clue." "Yeah," Sora agreed.

The spirit was a young woman with an afro similar to Coro's (Sora wondered if they were related) and wearing a fisher's garb. As soon as they tried to listen to what she was saying, a bug came out from under the wooden boards. "What's… that? A bug? Eww, nasty! Why is it so big? Golly, I am sick of roughing it in the boonies!" She wouldn't say any more after that, so they just killed the bug and took its light.

"Huh…? It's gone? Man, that was nasty. I hope it doesn't come back… Ah, well. Golly, work is tanking it just as hard as my personal life these days…"

When she stopped speaking, Link could hear the faint whistling of a howling stone. Link followed the sounds and Sora and his friends followed, and when he finally found it, he stopped to howling along with its song, summoning a golden wolf somewhere in Hyrule.

Down-river, two spirits were standing side by side.

When they approached them and listened to what they were saying, it was this:

"Do you think Prince Ralis passed through here?" asked the Zora soldier on the right. "He must've," said the one on the left, "This is the only waterway that connects to Hyrule Castle. Come. Let's follow this path in search of him." They followed the Zoras down the waterway and came up onto some steps on the right side of the river. They followed a path to the west entrance of the Castle Town, but were intercepted by more Messengers and Neoshadows, which they took care of quickly.

There was only one bug in the town, hiding in a box by the place called Telma's Bar, where they'd found Ilia the first time.

Finding no bugs in areas surrounding the town, Link suggested they warp back to Zora's Domain and search there. It was a good call, because in the throne room (where the portal put them) there was a bug right there, hiding in plain sight on the wall. Outside, two were floating among lily pads in the very center, and two more were hiding on the out rims, to which they had to jump to reach them. When the last bug on the map (which was behind a set of what looked to be some ornate coral craftsmanship) was defeated and its light taken, Midna was baffled.

"Hey? What's going on?" She opened the map and checked the Vessel of Light. "There should be one more… where could the last tear be…?" Then she spotted something on the map that hadn't been there before. "What? There it is… What's going on? This is weird…" Sora tilted his head, seeing a small dot in Lake Hylia that hadn't been there before.

"Let's just warp and see what's going on, right?" Midna shrugged. "Yeah. If we somehow missed a bug, we know where it is now. No worries."

_Right. __I'm with you there.__ Yeah, this bug appearing out of nowhere? Can't be good…_

It wasn't.

When they warped and arrived at the spot on the map, they climbed onto some driftwood (Donald just hovered around) and they watched as a spot in the water bubbled violently before something came out. It appeared to be invisible. "'Course it's invisible," Sora muttered, "it's a bug…"

But what they saw wasn't pretty. This bug was huge!

"Must be the queen," Link shouted. Sora nodded. "So if we kill her, we kill 'em all off! Sweet." Link scoffed. "We have to actually kill her first…"

The giant flying queen attempted to ram Sora off his piece of driftwood, but Sora was too fast. The queen turned around as fast as she could, but all she got was a good, long taste of Sora's Keyblade combos. She flew off and tried to ram Goofy, but he disappeared into the water and came back up when it was safe, seeing as he was a turtle and wasn't as fast as the others. Donald gave the queen a good taste of his Thundaga when she tried to fly off again.

Finally, the queen tried to ram Link. It almost got him, if it hadn't been for a quick change of direction on his part. He gave the queen a good taste of his chompers before she fell into the water and came up, her six tender 'legs' sticking out. Link jumped on her belly and looked at Midna.

"You want to do the honors?" Midna grinned as she let loose a force field. "I thought you'd never ask."

And finally, as Link chomped down on the last 'leg' the queen screeched in pain and disappeared, giving up the last Tear of Light. Sora collected it and they were all transported back to Lanayru's Spring, world of light restored.

"You make sure to get that last Fused Shadow, now!" Midna chided sweetly, vanishing.

The spring began to glow, and a ball of golden light appeared like all the times before. But then, a giant golden snake of all things appeared and grasped the light in its wide, fanged mouth.

"_My name is Lanayru,"_ said the spirit, _"Your efforts have at last restored each of us light spirits in Hyrule. Oh Hero chosen by the gods, and the master of the Keyblade, the dark power that you seek… It waits in a temple set in the bed of Lake Hylia. But, before seeking it, you must now bear witness to something and never forget it. You must know that it was the will of the goddesses that we lock away the forbidden power…"_

A vision occurred to them – just Link and Sora (and Roxas, of course, much to his dismay) – as they blinked their eyes.

Suddenly, they were floating in oblivion, watching green, red, and blue lights fly past them like shooting stars. Link seemed calm, Sora and Roxas weren't exactly calm, per se, but they were curious.

"_When all was chaos, the goddesses descended and gave order and life to the world. They granted power equally to all who dwelled in the light, and then returned to the heavens."_

A small field of lovely, soft green grass appeared, and Link stood by Ilia, just as Sora saw himself beside Kairi.

"_The lands where the goddesses descended came to be known as the Sacred Realm. For ages, the people lived, content in mind and body…"_

Lights swirled around and around until they created a symbol of three triangles, two on bottom, and one on top; the Triforce. Link looked at Ilia, and Sora at Kairi respectively, smiling, and happy. But something was wrong. Ilia and Kairi were both holding knives in their right hands, but remained calm and smiling as the spirit spoke.

"_But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread through Hyrule, and a great battle ensued…"_

Kairi turned to Sora, her eyes completely white, and attempted to stab him. Ilia attempted the same in Link's vision. But Sora and Link were too quick, and fought them off, but they, too, had completely white eyes, Link throwing his sword into the ground, Sora tossing the Keyblade aside. They both ran for the Triforce. However, as they ran, three dark figures surrounded the Triforce, preventing them from reaching it. Sora and Link stopped.

"_Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared."_

Behind them, something akin to the helm Midna wore appeared, rising up from oblivion and blocking their view of the Triforce.

"_Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm."_

The three dark figures all raised their hands at Link and Sora, eyes normal once more, as they flinched, but it did them no good. They disappeared, turning into colored ash that stilled as power destroyed their very existence. But, in doing so, both Link and Sora had became the interlopers, standing in place of two of them, laughing and grinning. But then the spirits of light appeared, and the interlopers were afraid.

"_It was then that the goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene. We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered."_

The interlopers turned to see Midna's helm disappear into the ground. Then they turned around to face the light spirits, and Link and Sora let out two loud screams.

_Sora! Snap out of it! It's only… only a vision! _Sora's spirit clung to Roxas's, shaking, the vision still flashing images through his soul. _Don't go…_

Roxas vowed that he wouldn't.

By now, the interlopers had vanished, the green field empty once more. Then the vision changed into the chamber of the spirit, Sora and Link each standing alone this time. The Fused Shadows spun around their heads slowly, their eyes half-lidded and unseeing.

"_You know this magic… It is the dark power you seek… the Fused Shadows."_

Once again, the vision changed, to many, many laughing, giggling Ilias and Kairis, falling upside down in the darkness.

"_O hero chosen by the goddesses, and master of the Keyblade… Beware… Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it… Never forget that…"_

The giggling increased as Sora tried his hardest to hold on to his sanity. Link was simply in shock. Eventually he'd lock this memory and never return, but Sora… somewhere in the folds of Sora's soul, Roxas held a petrified Sora in his arms protectively in front of a watchful Lanayru.

_Let him go, spirit! _Roxas sneered; _You've done enough damage…_

Sora let a soft sob escape his lips, and Lanayru's vision stopped. For Link, he snapped out of it quickly, and fell to his knees. Sora still stood there, his eyes distant and somewhere else. Roxas held Sora in his arms for a just moment or two, until Sora looked up into his eyes. Even Roxas was surprised at the effect that happened afterwards, something so quick he couldn't even register what it was, just something soft and fast and somehow Sora's face was closer to his than he remembered it being before.

_Thank you,_ Sora whispered _I think I should be returning to reality now, don't you think?_ Numb, Roxas nodded, and the scene disappeared with Sora shaking himself back, the haze clearing from his eyes.

Link was still on his knees, shaking.

"_The dark power that you seek is within the sleeping Lakebed Temple in Lake Hylia…"_ said the spirit at last. Sora wanted to ask more, but the spirit had already gone.

He walked over to Link and knelt by his side. "Are you… going to be okay, Link?" Link's heart was racing. Perhaps later, once he'd had some sleep, he'd feel better. "I will once I've slept this off… I'm so tired…" Sora felt the same. "It is after twilight. We should get some rest here." He helped Link stand up, his own heart still thudding in his chest. His knees, too, weren't so great on keeping him up, but once he got a hold of Link he felt they could at least make it outside without collapsing.

Donald and Goofy decided not to press either young warrior about their ordeal, and set up camp while they made their pallets and fell into the bliss of sleep.

Roxas wandered around the white room of his soul, staring into nothing.

Did Sora know what he did to him? The feelings he stirred up inside? He did know one thing, Lanayru had almost hurt Sora beyond repair, and if he hadn't been there, it might perhaps have been worse than what he'd managed to hang onto _this_ time.

But then he gave a start. Wait… feelings? Nobodies weren't supposed to… feel. Anything. So what was this burning in the left center of his chest? This strain in his breathing?

Was it, perhaps the remnants of feelings, an echo of emotion from Sora?

Or… was he actually feeling… a feeling?

* * *

Gah! I didn't expect this… I had intended for yaoi but did it really have to come around like this? Ugh… what plot-hole have I dug for myself, and can I get safely out of it? Who knows…?

And don't you just love Larxene? She's so twitchy it's not even funny. I swear, if you give her coffee the world will stand still. XD


	10. Saving Prince Ralis!

Chapter Ten: Saving Prince Ralis!

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 10

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Um... hmm. (runs off to go gets some paints and a HUGE wall, upon which the words 'I DON'T OWN THIS' can be read in colorful, large print) Yeah, I'm not running out of ideas at ALL. :D

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I was going to update sooner, but Facebook distracted me... XD

No Lakebed Temple yet, sorry guys! I can't wait, cause we get to see the last and final traitor! XD These 'traitors' will be appearing and reappearing in several different places, so we'll be seeing Axel again, I can promise you. **WARNING**: This chapter contains brief yaoi, so if you don't like, don't read, gotcha? Okay, on with the fic!

* * *

The next morning, Sora felt warmer than usual. He didn't feel sick, so it wasn't a fever… when he opened his eyes he realized he was laying on his pallet under the hot sun, and a pair of blue eyes was staring at him quite intently. These eyes were not Link's.

"Hello, Roxas." He said softly, wiping sleep from his eyes. But he stopped, taking a good look at his Nobody.

Roxas's eyes were furrowed, and he hadn't even said anything. Sora thought back to the day before, what he'd done against Lanayru's vision, protecting him… was that what was bothering him? Then he noticed the black coat Roxas was wearing. "Are you hot in that, Roxas? I can't be lucid dreaming again… you said you'd stop that."

Roxas shook his head. "No, you're not dreaming. I just thought I'd get some air. Your spirit's emotions are… suffocating." Sora tilted his head, still confused. "But really, aren't you hot in that coat, Roxas?" Roxas turned his head at his name. He blinked, and looked at the coat, warm from the sun.

He shook his head again. "No. Nobodies can't feel, remember?" They couldn't feel cold or heat… but why then, were beads of sweat forming on his brow? Was something happening to Roxas?

Sora climbed off his pallet and over to Roxas, quite close to his face. "Tell me what's wrong, Roxas. Maybe I can help." Roxas looked genuinely surprised. "Don't you remember? You… you said thank you. T-To me." Roxas was fumbling with his words, and there seemed to be a light line of red ghosting his cheeks. "Are you blushing, Roxas?" Sora asked, confused, rubbing his chin. Roxas turned sharply and looked at his reaction in the water. Indeed, his cheeks were flushed.

Baffled, he sat back, looking up at the sky with a far-off look in his eyes.

"I don't understand… Sora?" Sora was thinking too. Stating the facts, he knew this much: Roxas was a Nobody. Nobodies couldn't feel. Sweat was clearly visible from the heat, and Roxas was blushing.

Each fact brought up questions, some questions could be answered, and some couldn't. Then he remembered the time Roxas had been that close to him as well, nearly nose to nose, how his face seemed to flare up in… was it perhaps infatuation? His eyes flickered to Roxas's lithe form, how well the coat (black and hot or not) hugged it well, bringing out just the right curves. Damn, now he was blushing.

Roxas noticed the light flush in Sora's cheeks and took this time to regain his composure and make a break for his soul room.

"Who's the one blushing now? Thinking about Kairi, huh?" he teased, flashing a semi-forced grin. Sora, caught off guard, blushed harder, and closed his eyes, trying to rid himself of the heat in his face. Once he felt it cool down enough, he opened he eyes, only to find Roxas was gone. He pouted.

"Sora!"

Sora's head followed the sound to Goofy and Donald, who ad just woken up. "You were awake before us?" Sora nodded. He was still confused about the conversation that had just occurred between him and his Nobody. Link was waking as well. "We need to figure out how to get up out of this lake, too, since all the foot roads are still under construction.

Goofy pointed to the tall building on the water. "Maybe that guy over there knows how to get out. Let's pack up and go see 'im." Not like they had much else to go on.

"Hurrrm? Some of the Zoras are still alive down there?" The old man muttered, looking at the water suspiciously. "I thought maybe they dried up with the lake… Hey buddies, have you heard? There's like a temple or something at the bottom of this lake. They put on such airs with all their rituals and temple hoo-ha… Then they just disappear…" This last bit he said under his breath, though they could all hear him quite clearly.

"And what's with putting with putting that temple so deep humans can't swim there?! I swear, those Zoras…" He shook his head, scoffing. Then he stood up straighter and looked Link in the eye.

"Oh… are you all customers? Heh heh, you're quite a bunch of lucky fellas! The _height_ of excitement, the _thrill_ of launching to the heavens, the very _peak_ of flying fascination… It can be _yours_, fellas! For a limited time only, and without waiting in line, it's a paltry 10 Rupees! Whaddaya say buddies of mine? Want to give it a shot?"

Sora looked back at Goofy and Donald. "No idea what this kook is talking about but I say we give it a go." They agreed. Link paid the man his rupees and they climbed into the small cockpit. "This isn't gonna hurt, is it?"

The man laughed. "Depends on how you land! See ya!"

.oOo.

Sora was grinning. Widely. "That was cool," he said, turning to Link, who was a little green in the face, "can we do that again?" Link leaned against a nearby pole, trying to steady himself. "Not for a while, okay Sora?" He sighed and whispered to himself, "Never again, if I can help it…"

Sora laughed.

"Let's go find that Zora prince, right?" Goofy reminded them. "I mean, we promised her…" Link instantly stood up. "Yeah, I remember. We should head for the Castle Town. That bar in particular… but perhaps we should restock on supplies while we're there." Sora nodded.

So they set off for the town, finding some horse grass on the way and riding on horseback to make the going easier.

Just as they arrived and were about to enter, Link commanded them to a soft stop. "What is it, Link?" Sora asked him, curious. Link's eyes surveyed the wall of the town, the trees and grasses, until they came to rest on a golden wolf sitting on top of a small stone landing. "Perfect. Sora, follow me. I want you to meet the warrior that's been teaching me these techniques!"

Sora, being optimistic, decided to come along just because he could, so once they arrived at the wolf and dismounted, Link called to Donald and Goofy. "If Sora disappears with me, it's no big deal. We'll be back."

The two nodded and left Link and Sora to climb up the vines to the Golden Wolf. It growled softly, and Link drew his sword, instantly all business. Sora summoned his Keyblade, and they were drawn into a world of light-shadows and ancient times. There stood the skeleton warrior Link had told Sora about, but had never actually seen.

"Finally," said the Hero's Shade, "you've brought the Keyblade warrior with you. There is much to catch up on. It appears that your efforts have begun to return some vigor to Hyrule, but it is far too early to relax. Do you feel ready to earn another hidden skill to steel yourself for the forthcoming battles against more powerful foes?"

Link nodded.

"Very well," said the Shade, "But before we begin, I must test you to ensure you have mastered the last skill I taught you, the shield attack! Now then, come at me!"

A small battle ensued, in which Link thrust up his shield against the warrior, distracting him, and slashed him with his sword. He backed away when the warrior had fallen. The warrior stood back up and said, "Excellent! It appears you are capable of performing my lost art.

"Very well. My third hidden skill is… the back slice! Let it be hewn into your mind!"

The two stood back as Sora watched, unsure of what was to happen next.

"A mere shield attack is no match for an enemy protected not by just a shield, but by a thick, full-body coat of armor," the Shade began, "Such enemies are often focused on guarding against frequent frontal attacks. They often leave their rear unprotected. That is when you roll around your foe to their back, then perform a jumping slice. Now try it!"

Link remembered to clear his mind of all interfering thoughts, and concentrated on just letting the energy flow through him. The two swordsmen touched their swords, and Link began to jump and roll behind the warrior. After the second spin, just like the warrior showed him, he jumped up quickly with his foot and turned it around simultaneously, spinning him and his sword against the warrior's back. When he landed, the warrior fell to the ground, getting back up quickly.

"Hmm… you carry yourself well. But do not forget the proper timing for swinging your sword while you jump. The third hidden skill, the back slice, has been passed on!"

Link quickly rolled outward and spun up, standing still a moment before setting his sword cleanly back in its scabbard.

"There are still four hidden skills for you to learn. Do not neglect your daily sword training between now and the time you come to learn the next skill! As for you, Keyblade master…" Sora's Keyblade hummed with energy in his hand, and he stood up straight, more alert and aware of his (non-existent) surroundings.

"Your spells are exceptional, and your combos are well placed, but if you are unable to combine them better you will leave yourself open during spell casting! So, Keyblade master," the Hero's Shade said, summoning his own Keyblade – a rusted thing similar to the Jungle King but with a metal Kingdom Key handle – and twirling it, "do you wish to learn what I have to teach you?"

Sora couldn't see why not. He nodded sharply.

The warrior nodded as well. "Very well. The first spell combo I'm going to teach you is… the Thundaga Strike!"

Link watched as the Hero's Shade explained Sora's new ability. "The Thundaga Strike it very much like the Strike Raid you have already learned, with one exception. It is infused with the energy of a Thundaga spell, perfect for attacking large water creatures from a distance. Now, try it!"

Sora, already having known of the Strike Raid, suddenly found himself fusing Thunder energy into the Keyblade, thrusting it with all his might towards the warrior, spinning with crackling yellow light. It hit him dead on, and the Keyblade came spinning right back to Sora, who caught it, staring at the Keyblade in wonder.

The warrior quickly got back up. "That was a good toss. But you must remember, your target may not always stay in one spot. You must will the Keyblade to move where it needs to move so it can make contact. The spell combo, Thundaga Strike, has been passed on!"

Sora spun the Keyblade outwards again, and caught it, spinning it with his signature finishing move. The warrior stood up straight, as did Link and Sora. "May we meet again," was all he said, as they were quickly returned to reality,

"Does it always happen like that?" Sora asked him. Link nodded. "Every time. Now we need to get going." Then he paused. "Actually, we should check up on the people by the river before we do anything, right, Sora?" Sora shrugged. "I guess so. I'm up for anything!"

.oOo.

After some while (and an hour of fishing), somehow they were sitting in a boat with Link holding a second bomb bag and looking up at the woman, Iza, who was asking them kindly to remove the obstacles block the river flow and her work.

"Now… it's a teensy bit dangerous downriver of here, so don't leave the boat, okay?" Sora turned his head to her and blinked. "Really? Whatever gave you the idea that we would do that?" She made a face at them and laughed quietly. "Well, one of our part-timers is waiting down there, so you can get the details from her! And when you're done, you can keep that bomb bag and everything in it as a token of my appreciation! So… be seeing ya!" She waved at them as the current finally began to take them off.

Sora leaned up front close to Link right ear. "I didn't say I was up for _this_!" he hissed quietly. Link chuckled, readying his bomb arrows as Donald and Goofy paddled. "You said you'd be ready for anything, Sora!"

Remembering that he _had_ said that, Sora face palmed himself.

Sora actually found he liked the boat ride; it reminded him of a ride back home that usually came to town with the fair. It was something like that, only minus the safety harness and water.

Once they got back down to the dock at Lake Hylia, the female Zora that was the part-time worker Iza had mentioned spoke to them. "You have truly done us a great service! Now the shop can finally reopen! When we were closed, my boss's temper only got worse and worse… It was a rough time for us all…" At this, she looked away. "Oh, an another thing… I don't suppose she promised you anything special for doing this, did she? Just that bomb bag?" Link nodded. The Zora sighed.

"Why," Sora asked, "Is something wrong?" "Yes," she said softly, almost irritated, "she tends to bribe people with whatever's laying around… So stingy, really…" Link chuckled. "It's no big deal. I'm quite thankful for the extra bag. I kind of figured we'd need another one for those new bombs that Barnes came up with…"

She nodded. "It's all right. I'll let her know you kept it when I get back. Now if you'll excuse me… Come visit us at the shop sometime!" And she left, taking the boat with her.

.oOo.

They made it back to the Castle Town and entered the bar. Just as they entered, a short, bug-eyed man (or perhaps it was his spectacles that made him look bug-eyed) bumped into them, saying, "That is a Zora child! It is beyond my expertise! Hmmmph!"

Ilia came running after him calling out, "Doctor, wait! If something isn't done, this child will…" Her words failed her, and she turned away. Then, she noticed Link, and their eyes met for a moment, but she didn't say anything. She walked away, looking genuinely crestfallen. Sora was surprised. "Does she even remember you? She didn't even say hey…"

Link had noticed. Perhaps she had lost her memory. If so, how much, and which parts? Was it linear? Or were certain pieces of it gone, strewn across an unforgivable nothing?

"Well this isn't good," said the large woman from before, "A human doctor won't do, huh…" The cat that had been by her feet jumped up by the Zora child, perhaps to comfort it. Ilia began to cry. After some moments, the woman remembered something. "That old coot reminded me, though… I've heard of a shaman in Kakariko Village, in the Eldin lands, who's tended Gorons and Zoras."

Ilia jumped up from where she sat. "Is that true? Perhaps if we take him there…"

The captain of the soldiers in the corner with the map across the table shouted, "Inadvisable! Too dangerous! But we can't turn a blind eye to a pretty girl in need, either. Yes, we'd better escort you! Am I right, boys?!" The man turned to his comrades, who all lifted their spears in a cry of triumph.

"Well, isn't that nice," said the large woman, turning to Ilia, "To reach Kakariko, we've got to cross two plains that are each infested by dangerous beasts."

At this, the men's cries were beginning to fade. Sensing that they were about to run, Sora pushed Link and his friends back out of their way.

Turning back to the two women, the older continued, winking at Ilia, "But we'll be safe now!" Ilia smiled at the taller woman, and they both turned to where the soldiers were, or rather, where they had been moments before. Now only one remained, quaking in his boots. And, to make matters worse, once he realized his comrades had left, he gathered his bearings and sprinted right after them.

The woman scowled and yelled at them as he closed the door, "Cowards! Don't you ever show your faces in here again!" Then, noticing Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy, she smiled. "Oh my! Looks like we've got a couple of swordsmen left!"

"Actually, ma'am," said Sora, "Goofy's got a shield, but he's a great fighter!" He flashed a smile as he lazily leaned back on one foot, his hands linked together behind his head.

The woman laughed, turning her head back to Ilia. "And it looks like these brave young men will escort us, so get ready to go, honey. Pronto!" Ilia nodded sharply, and ran off to gather what things she might've had. The woman walked up to their group, seeing the lost look in Link's eyes. "You know that girl, don't you?" Link licked his lips to get himself to speak. "I did. Do. She's… from my village. In Ordona."

He sighed, and she shook her head. "It's a real shame… she's can't even remember her own name right now." He looked up. "It's Ilia. We were really good friends before… she was kidnapped." The woman nodded slowly, looking back at the Zora child. "Bless her heart… She found this poor boy collapsed on the road, so she did all she could to save him. More courage in that girl than all the soldiers of Hyrule, for sure!"

Sora snorted. "Twice that, actually, if by all the soldiers you mean they're like the ones that just ran off…" The woman chuckled.

"Well, you lend your strength to her, you hear?" She was talking to Link. Link nodded. It didn't matter what she'd said to Link before; she was still like a sister to him that needed guidance and a little looking after. Right now, she needed quite a bit of the latter.

.oOo.

Sometime later, they were overlooking the west bridge, where a King Bulblin with a broken horn and armor plates on just his sides patrolled.

"So you say the bridge to the east has been destroyed, huh? Well then, we'll just have to take the bridge to the west, then." Link watched as the beast rounded the bridge. "You see what that means?" she asked him. "You'll have to deal with that thing!" Sora poked his head over the edge. "Nah, he's just a pushover. He'll be easy! Link, I think you can handle him on your own this time. If you have trouble, I'll just summon something to save you, okay?" Link raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Some moments later, Sora and Goofy were on Spirit, Link and Donald were an Epona, and the woman, Telma, was with Ilia and the Zora child in a cart.

Ilia leaned through the window towards Link and said, "Th-Thank you so much for this… Um, if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?" Link looked a little sad for a moment before replying, "My name is Link," he said softly. She smiled, nothing coming to her, obviously.

"… Link?! I will never in all my life forget your kindness, Link." Link flashed a forced smile and looked away. Donald pressed a hand against his back, and Link assured him he'd be all right.

"Little lady," Telma said, "I think you'd best save your thanks until we're safe in Kakariko…" She looked at each of them. "These swordsmen and our shield knight here have great eyes, honey. They're proud and wild… like feral beasts. We need a couple of beasts right now, to keep the true ones at bay. If we make it to Kakariko safely, we'll just have to thank him then, okay?" Here she blew Link a quick kiss and winked at him, sending a line of red blazing across his face. Sora blinked, dumbfounded. But, in the end, Link just smiled, realizing she was having fun with it, no matter how dangerous the situation. They'd keep them safe, he knew they would.

When they arrived at the bridge, Link said he was willing to go on ahead alone. "He doesn't have Colin this time, so I can take him. Well, Donald and I, at least. He'll help out if needs to, right?" Donald nodded. "Right!"

"Okay!" Telma shouted as she approached, "It's your turn now, honey! We're counting on you!" Link smiled. He spurred his horse on quickly as King Bulblin charged forward. Link took out his bow and aimed a quick arrow to his chest, hitting him dead on and turning around at the end of the bridge. Link was having some difficulty the second time around on account of Bulblin's moving around so much, but he was eventually able land a second arrow on him, sending Bulblin flying. A set of keys went flying in the opposite direction, which he caught.

"Come on!" he called, "It's safe now!"

"Nice honey!" Telma called back, "Keep up the good work!" And they proceeded onward. Link rode ahead of the others so he could unlock the gates in relative safety and remount Epona by the time Telma's cart and Spirit reached him.

It wasn't difficult protecting them from the marauding Moblins on their tails (Sora and Goofy took care of them) at all. Actually the really hard part was hitting the birds that were about to drop bombs that would spook the horse and cause it to veer off course. But Link, ever the expert marksman, was able to nail them before he ran out. Finally, after unlocking the final gate, was he able to breathe easy, knowing the Moblins would never enter the town, at least, not without being seen and then defeated by himself or Sora.

So they took the Zora child to Renado, who took him to the village hotel, and all of them crowded around the poor boy or at least stayed within the vicinity of the hotel to hear any progress of the Zora child, Link was now sure was the Zora prince Rutela had asked them to save.

Renado came out of the room the child was staying and gave them all a good update. "… he has passed through the worst of it," he said to Link, "As long as he rests, he should recover in due time." Colin, who was with them at the time, looked up at Link and smiled, who returned the smile. But, Renado wasn't finished.

"Do you know the fate of his mother?"

Link's eyes widened slightly, and he stilled. Then his expression turned dark, and he looked to the floor, his eyes downcast. Sora and his companions all had similar expressions.

"Her welfare consumes him. He has been mumbling deliriously about her almost constantly…" Renado, upon noticing their expressions, nodded in understanding. "… I can see the knowledge grieves you. It must be an awful memory."

Colin looked up at Renado. "I'll stay with him until he's better! No matter how long it takes!" The shaman kneeled by Colin and smiled gently. "Is that so? Thank you, Colin."

Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy slipped away back outside the hotel, Colin some how seeing them and following them out the door.

"Hey, Link," he said softly, "about Ilia… Is it true, what they said about her?" Link nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so, Colin." Renado also appeared behind Colin to enter his say in it, probably to make sure he understood. "And regaining it will be no small task, either. But it will be all right, child. If we just give her some time, I'm certain that girl will find her heart again. So, Colin, I'd like to ask you to stay in this village until then. It is our turn to show the courage that you have already displayed."

Colin nodded, and with a quick smile he ran back inside the hotel.

"Nice to see there's still hope here," Telma said to them and the night, leaning against a wooden post, "And it's always good to see happy results repay your efforts…" As Link turned around and Sora and his friends turned their heads to meet her eyes, she said, "Those skills of yours… Any chance you're of a mind to put them to use for Hyrule?"

Sora grinned and leaned once more into his casual pose. "We already are. But did you have something specific in mind for us?" Telma smiled. "What hope there is in our kingdom is frail and dying… but there's still a group trying to do what it can. And I'm a member of that group."

She walked up to Link and offered him to shake her hand, which he did. "Call me Telma," she said. She went back to the wooden post and looked out across the village. "I may just stay here a little but longer. I'm still worried about Ilia, and… Well, never mind about the rest." Her gaze flickered towards Renado, the shaman, who was walking toward the spring. Sora, who of all people managed to put two and two together, gave a start, but didn't say anything. He knew better.

Again, she walked towards Link, this time leaning in real close, making Link back away slightly. "Link, I want to see you at my bar again, you hear me?" She straightened and grinned at Sora and his friends. "You too, my friends. The bar is actually a kind of safe house for my friends. There's a passageway that leads to the castle from there, as well."

She walked around Link briskly, but turned around to say a few parting words. "If you ever need anything, stop by. I'll be waiting for you, honey!" Another wink. Then she backed off and ran to catch up with Renado, probably to exchange a few words with him.

They stood there for some moments, not knowing what to do. However, the appearance of Rutela saved them from feeling purposeless for much longer.

They followed her past the sanctuary and through the graveyard, entering a small opening at the very back into a pool with a grave behind all the others. "I am deeply grateful to you for aiding my son in his time of need," she said softly, "You were right to bring him here. Kakariko Village is a sacred place for the Zora people. It is where we take our eternal rest. My husband, King Zora, also rests his spirit here. It is no coincidence that my son found his salvation in this place."

She looked towards the grave. "… That which I have promised you is within this grave. During his lifetime, my husband created garments specifically for the chosen hero, garments that house the abilities of the Zora. Just as well, the chosen hero also acquired a mask that allowed one to be transformed into a Zora and gave it to my husband for safekeeping. They were buried with him so that he might take his secrets to the grave."

The grave opened, revealing the Zora Armor as well as a Zora Mask, which they took.

"Now, at last, I can join the king in slumber. And yet… my son… he knows nothing of my death. If you see him again, please pass on this message… Tell him he must not grieve his mother's passing. Tell him she wanted him to be brave and live on as the king of our people. And… tell him his mother… loves him without end. Tell him…"

With that, she vanished.

"Well, it's a good thing you found all of your friends and picked up that nifty Zora armor…" said Midna, finally commenting on something for a very long while, "But aren't you forgetting something kind of important?" Sora rolled his eyes and sighed sarcastically. "We know, Midna. The Fused Shadow. We'll get it, okay?"

She 'hmphed' quietly. "Just remember what the light spirit Faron said… He said you would need the Fused Shadows to defeat the dark overlord Zant and save the world… So even if you go back now with all of the people you saved… The whole tragedy would just repeat itself…"

Sora scoffed. "We know already, stop bothering us about it." She pouted. "So go get it, then!" And then she disappeared.

Link looked up at the night sky. "Let's just stay here one night before heading anywhere. I'm really tired after all that…" Just to prove it, his tilted his neck to the right until it let loose a crack from being so tense. Sora nodded. "Sure, why not? I suppose we could all use some sleep again."

So they left the chamber and headed for the hotel to get some much-earned rest.

* * *

Lakebed Temple is next! And how are Donald and Goofy going to join Sora and Link in the temple if they can't go underwater? Perhaps by using their Atlantica forms? Just wait and see!

(Don't go bashing on my Zora Mask… Zora Sora looks hawt! XD But my scanner is inaccessible at the moment, so you're going to have to wait until Christmas for it – unless I can get my mom to scan it for me. The scanner program I use needs the Mac OS 9 Operating System, or the System Folder, rather, to boot up Classic Environment, which stimulates OS 9 so I can use OS 9 compatible programs… like the one I use with my scanner. Gah. It doesn't matter if you can't understand, I just needed to explain it to someone before I went nuts… sorry guys.)


	11. Lakebed Temple

Chapter Eleven: Lakebed Temple

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 11

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: (digs through a bunch of dusty junk to find a sign that reads, 'I DON'T OWN!')

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

**WARNING**: This chapter contains yaoi (boyxboy) so if you don't like, don't read it, all right? (Just skip past it if you like; I still depend on your reviews!)

At last! Okay, temple time! And there's a grand total of three Organization members in this chapter, one of which Sora gets to fight with! See, funny story, when that last traitor went into the temple and found the map, he sort of lost it… actually, a Helmasaur ate it, but, yeah. XD On with the fic! (Sorry for the semi-late update)

* * *

Link was gone when Sora woke up that morning to the Zora child's soft, steady breathing. Roxas wasn't watching him today, but somehow he felt as though he had been. Lately he was doubting the facts; about him liking Kairi, Roxas's ability to feel (he could think of no other explanation for the other day's occurrences), and the changes in his own feelings towards the blond Nobody.

"Maybe that's what's bothering him," Sora whispered to himself, "suddenly he can feel, and he knows he shouldn't…"

It was then that Roxas appeared in the wooden chair between Sora and Ralis's beds, his hands linked behind his neck, relaxed. "Finally figured it out, didn't you?" Sora turned to Roxas, blinking. His eyes started wandering again and once more he found himself marveling how the Nobody's black cloak clung to him in all the right places, and finally he said, "Figured what out? You, or your problems?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that? _I_ meant that you finally figured out that somehow, I'm beginning to feel. I'm not sure, either, but I think it's because of you. I'm the only Organization member whose Somebody is still alive."

Now it was Sora's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Really, Roxas? What about Naminé? I thought…" Roxas, not catching Sora's actual question, replied, "That I liked her? I couldn't feel, remember? But now that I'm starting to, I… I don't know anymore." Roxas, who had his back turned to Sora, now turned to face him, suddenly very close to Sora's nose. This seemed to happen a lot. By now, Sora had stopped trying to hide his blush and just let his cheeks burn as Roxas spoke, his words ghosting soft fingers of air across his face.

"Do you know what you do to me, Sora?" Roxas asked him, "Do you know that you're the one that makes me dizzy holding it all in, that my chest hurts because I didn't think you would believe?" Sora was beginning to grasp what Roxas was feeling, just from what he was saying. "You… don't know what it is because I'm still alive. You don't have memories of feelings, so you're feeling them and don't know what they are."

Roxas was a little surprised. That hadn't even occurred to him. So, what was this tightening in his chest, why did he hear blood thudding through his ears when he knew he didn't have a heart (though lately he was beginning to wonder)?

"So tell me, Sora, what am I feeling now?"

Sora's blush was lessening slightly. He smiled. What he was about to do was crazy, and probably unethical, but with Roxas, ethics didn't exist and neither did society's rules. "I think…" he said huskily, leaning in far closer than they had ever been, "that what you're feeling is called… affection." Before Roxas could say anything more, he felt something soft and moist press to his lips and his eyes widened slightly.

Sora, of all people, was kissing him. His… Sora. Not a Somebody, just Sora.

But just as quickly as it started, it stopped, upon hearing someone or something coming up the stairs, they broke away, looked at each other for a moment, and then in a blink of an eye, Roxas vanished.

"Roxas?" Sora whispered quietly, stunned.

_I'm still here. I just figured you wouldn't want someone coming in and seeing something they shouldn't. It would've been… quite difficult to explain. _

That, Sora could see. It was Link who came through the door, holding a bag of Water Bombs in one hand and some food and provisions in the other. "Good morning, Sora. Let's wake up Donald and Goofy so we can eat and get started for the road, shall we?" Sora blinked. Every time Roxas visited him like this he always felt like his head was up in the clouds and he couldn't get it down.

_Sorry,_ Roxas muttered. Sora smiled, but didn't reply. "Why not, Link? After all, the lake is on the other side of Hyrule!"

.oOo.

After traveling back to Lake Hylia through the newly opened gates, Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy paid Falbi (the really strange Cucco guy with the big pink pants) so they could use the Cuccos to get down to Lake Hylia (since, of course, it was the _only_ way down… "Stupid pushovers, taking advantage of people," Sora muttered as he clung to his squirming Cucco with all his might) and head for the Lakebed Temple. However…

They were walking across the bridge when Goofy thought of something.

"Say, Link has that there Zora armor and Sora can use that mask to transform but Donald and I don't have anything to get down to that temple with you see." To tell the truth, it wasn't something Sora was looking forward to, since transformations hadn't had the best of luck with him. But Goofy did have a point.

A certain blond-haired Organization member proved said point as he stood leaning on a post, brushing his nails against his black coat. "Hiya!" he grinned. Sora blinked. "You're… Demyx, right?" Demyx nodded. "Yep! I'm here to help you with your problem of getting down to the Lakebed Temple! I was exploring in there before with the map but it sort of got… eaten on my way out…"

Sora gave a start. "Did you just say the Lakebed Temple's map got _eaten_?! By what?" Demyx shrugged. "Zexy called 'em Helmasaurs. They're these squealing green-brown things with metal helms. Mean, nasty things, they are. Anyway, Zexy gave me a page of his book that had the map on it, so no worries."

He grinned wider and walked closer. "We're gonna be partners for a while, so let's shake on it, huh?" Sora stared skeptically at the outstretched hand. "So you're the last traitor?" Demyx pouted. "Traitor's such a nasty word… I prefer deserter, since it's so much fun to say." Again he held out his hand for a shake. "So, how about it?" Sora shrugged. "As long as you give me that map for safekeeping I'm good." Demyx rolled his eyes and gave him the page from Zexion's lexicon. Then they shook on it.

Demyx looked behind Sora at Donald and Goofy. "Okay, this is gonna feel funny, but you'll be okay, okay?" Donald and Goofy looked at each other, then Donald said, "Are you sure you're not still with the Organization?" Demyx laughed. "And betray my Zexy? Never again!" He folded his arms across his chest, impatient. "Now can we get this over with?"

Donald, too, folded his arms, though more angry than impatient. "Fine. Just do it fast, whatever it is." Demyx smiled, and pulled out his sitar, and he began to play. It was a slow melody, tranquil and calming, and as he played, Donald and Goofy's clothes began to morph into sets of armor similar to Link's, which he was now wearing.

When he finished, he twirled his sitar in a much similar fashion to the way Sora twirled his Keyblade. "Done. Now you can follow us down! See, I told you that you'd be fine!" Goofy was swaying back and forth. "It did feel kinda funny, though." Demyx laughed sheepishly. "I'm not sure why. Queen Rutela just told me it might mess with your head a little." He grinned again.

"You'll be fine." Sora nodded. "Well let's go. We really need to hurry." They all nodded and dived down. Well, after Sora had the courage to put on the mask. It was… painful at first, but in the end, it felt more he was still him, just wearing a mask. He still had his own face and upper body, but he had no shoes (his feet were now webbed Zora feet) and he had the signature long fin coming from the back of his head, and his skin was tinted various shades of white, peach, and blue. He was wearing two partway-fingerless gloves that had two long, and very sharp fins attached to them, and something similar to the bottom of Link's green tunic around his waist, although his was black with a red belt. (A/N: If you're having trouble visualizing, I will draw a pic. Actually, I already have it drawn, it's just a matter of pushing myself to scan and color it. Oh yeah, and having a working scanner. Ugh.)

Link opened up the actual entrance with some Water Bombs and they swam inside, carefully avoiding the giant clams and electric Biri that were floating around. When they came to the actual door to the temple, Link said to Sora, "I really hate those things. What are they called again, Biri?" Demyx nodded. "They're quite nasty, too. If this were my temple I wouldn't even have them in here." Sora grinned. "If this were your temple, they wouldn't attack you. Besides, I think this is their home, you know?"

Demyx guessed Sora was right. Link jumped across over the gap between the higher platform and the ground to pull down a switch that unlocked the door blocking their passage. They entered the next area.

Link took one step ahead of everyone else when a stalactite fell right down into the pooling water to his left. Surprised, Link jumped. "Whoa… this looks dangerous," said Midna softly, "why don't you shoot them down first, so you don't get hit?" Link gulped. "Good idea." He took out some bomb arrows and shot all the stalactites he could see, and proceeded to head for the door on the other side of the multi-layered room. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Demyx followed behind him.

Link scrambled up a fallen stalactite after being chased by a squealing brown pig-thing. "What was that?" he asked, hyperventilating and trying desperately to keep the squeaking in his own voice to a minimum. Demyx frowned. "That was a Helmasaur. One of those things ate the original map to this place when I was trying to escape Vexen."

Sora gasped quietly. "Who's Vexen? An Organization member?" Demyx nodded. "A pretty clever one, too. He's probably still lurking in the temple somewhere…" Link was opening the door to the next room. "So does he control any particular sort of Nobodies?" Demyx shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so. You've actually met him, back in Castle Oblivion, but I doubt you'd remember. Naminé had to mess with your memories so you wouldn't remember the members you fought, right?"

Sora shrugged. "So says Roxas." Demyx gave a start. "Roxas? You've talked to him?" Sora tilted his head, confused. "Of course. Why?" Demyx looked away, rubbing the back of his neck furiously. Sora watched Link whack a Lizafols into oblivion. "Um, next time you see him, tell him I'm sorry about stealing his socks."

Sora blinked. "That's it?" Demyx nodded. "It means a lot to me. Promise?" Sora nodded slowly, not sure why Demyx would ask him that. On the other hand, he could hear Roxas roaring with laughter, saying, _Um, next time we see Demyx – cause I got a feeling we will – tell him I forgive him about the socks. They were never my favorite pair anyways._

Sora raised a mental eyebrow. _All your socks are black, how can you tell which was your favorite?_

Roxas laughed. _Axel singed one of them when he tried to knit a pair for me as a 'birthday' gift. _Sora couldn't help but laugh softly. _Axel? Knitting? Somehow, I just can't picture it…_Roxas huffed. _Neither can I. I think he lied, but, well the burnt smell in the socks that I could never get out of them tells me something. _

At this point they reached a huge room after that, their jaws dropped (with the exception of Demyx who had seen the room before). The room was tall, round, and had a huge staircase in the middle of it. "Wow, I guess the Zoras don't slouch on design, huh?" Sora commented. They made their way around the room, finding Ooccoo (the she-bird), several Tektites, and some bombs. After some debate of which door to go through, they finally decided on the lower east door and went through it. This time when encountering the Helmasaur, Link dodged around after it charged at him and slashed its behind clean with his sword. The creature then burst into nothing and left behind its metal helm.

They entered the door beyond them.

It was a huge cog room, but the cogs weren't moving and thus unreachable, but Link could shoot down the stalactites in this room so that he could reach a chest on the other side of the room. In it was a key. Sora was too lost in his own thoughts of this morning's events to really care.

When they came back to the spinning staircase, Demyx suggested they go through the upper east door next, seeing as it might have something to do with the cogs from the room below.

So they went, this time completely avoiding the Helmasaur. They defeated a single Tektite on the other side, and looked around for any way they could get up across the left path, which seemed to be the only path available. "Those vines up there look pretty stable," Sora pointed out. Demyx slipped on them, and scowled at Sora childishly. "Hey, it's not my fault your hands are so slippery!"

Demyx rolled his eyes at Sora's bad attempt at a joke, but laughed anyway.

Link opened the door they came across to find the top of the cog room from before below them. "Well, now we know where to go…" he muttered, looking down at the drop they'd have to make. He closed the door and they proceeded forward, climbing up into the next room, which had a single green bug in it. The bug taunted them for a moment before jumping backwards into a huge, unpopable (A/N: Not a word, really, but who cares) bubble.

"Demyx? Can you pop that bubble for us?" Demyx grinned. "No prob. You take care of the little Bubble Bug and we'll be just peachy." Sora raised an eyebrow, but watched as the bubble popped from Demyx's sitar playing and Link whacked the Bubble Bug into oblivion.

Once that was done, they walked into the other half of the room where they jumped across to the other side (landing on the vines which Demyx was careful not to slip on, again), climbing over and running to the top of the spiraling ramp, only occasionally stopping to clear pesky enemies from their path. Goofy and Donald stayed down below.

Up at the top, Link climbed the ladder and jumped across to the lever, pulling it down and causing the door above to open up and let the water cascade through. Link jumped down and looked at the stream of water. "I guess it won't be too hard going down now will it?" Demyx could hardly contain his excitement. If anything made him happy (besides his Zexy, of course) it was water rides. Sora laughed, but at something Roxas was saying, though they didn't know this.

Needless to say Demyx was screaming with peals of laughter the whole way down.

"You like water rides, huh Demyx?" Sora queried lightly. The _Melodious Nocturne_ just grinned. Link pulled down a second lever, which allowed the excess water to flow out of the room. They took the left path outside, which led to a waterwheel and a chest with another key. They exited that hallway as they entered the top of the cog room from before.

"Look!" shouted Donald, pointing to the moving cogs, "Now we can reach those rooms that we couldn't before!" Demyx tilted his head, smiling. "I never thought of that… you know, resetting the water. This temple is supposed to be symmetrical, so there must be another side. I never really looked at the map before… well…" Sora snickered. "It's okay, Demyx. After seeing those Helmasaurs for the first time, I can see why they'd eat it right out of your hands! Ha, ha!"

They jumped down into the room below, climbing back up out of the water so that they could reach the now moving cogs. They went through the north door and found a key. Going back out, they chose the east door and found an underwater tunnel.

Going through said tunnel, they found more clams, Biri, and even a Bomb Fish if Link wasn't mistaken, but eventually they made their way into a new passage that led them up into a wide, circular room.

They took a few steps in one direction of the opening they'd come through when a grate suddenly slid right over it, blocking their way out.

They looked back.

"Going somewhere?" said a voice from the shadows. Demyx cringed. "Ugh. Larxene. I didn't think you'd be here, too." Larxene grinned as she came out of the shadows. "Yeah, well, fortunately Vex and I got stuck together so we could crush you runts properly." She paused, folding her arms against her chest and observing the group. "Hey, Vex? I think I'm going to need a little help here, do you mind?"

Another voice behind them scoffed. "Really, Number VII? You can't handle them on your own?" Larxene smiled candidly. "Just take two of them and hold 'em hostage or something. But, let me have my way with the traitor, deal?" Vexen scoffed. "Fine." Then he snapped his fingers and both Donald and Goofy froze in place, held by capsules of ice.

Sora turned around and snapped, "Hey! Release them!" Vexen grinned. "Sorry. Thunder Queen's rules. If you want them, I'll be waiting." With that, he disappeared along with the frozen Donald and Goofy into a portal of darkness, closing it off once they were completely immersed.

Angry, Sora turned back to Larxene. "Where's he taken them, coward?" She tilted her head and winked. "It'll be our little secret. By the way, I'm not the coward, your little friend is." Demyx looked at the ground. "I'm no coward!" he snapped quietly. Larxene laughed. "Well them, Dems, prove it!" Demyx looked over at Sora, who nodded.

"Well do this together," he said, looking back at Link. "You with us?" Link nodded. "Yeah, absolutely."

Then a blur rushed at them, missing all of them by several very close hairs. Sora blinked, and saw Larxene brandishing her Éclair knives. "Well? Are you going to fight or just jaw all day long?" Demyx twirled his sitar around while Sora did the same with the Zora Guitar he summoned out of nowhere. They grinned. "Nah," said Sora. "We're gonna give you a show!" Demyx finished. They began playing something similar to what Sora remembered Demyx playing when they last fought against him and Sora was stealing his show (A/N: Basically, it's like Show Stealer, but they're playing together this time :D).

Larxene fell to her knees, holding her ears. "No fair! Stop playing your damn music and fight!" Demyx grinned as he tuned up the melody a notch, Sora following up with the harmony. "But, Larxene, I _am_ fighting!" Larxene clutched her ears even more, and finally, when she managed to fight back enough pain to stand, Link preformed a rather nasty back slice that sent her reeling.

Demyx and Sora finished their song with a little flair, and watched as she dropped her knives and clung to herself as she began to disappear. "You'll pay for that, Dems!" Demyx laughed uncaringly. "As if. You're already fading!" She sneered, more of herself vanishing quicker than one could blink, but she had a nasty gleam in her eyes. "Maybe I am. But I can still leave with the last laugh!"

And with that, she sent Demyx slamming into the wall using a blast of thunder, leaving him slumping to the floor, crackling with energy and gasping for breath. Larxene finally was nowhere to be found, but she had left Demyx pretty battered. Sora ran over to him, relaxing when he was sure he couldn't see the darkness trying to take him back as well.

"You okay?" he asked, holding out a hand to help him up. Demyx nodded, shaking off the last of the Thunder magic. "Yeah. That really stung, though. Zexy woulda killed me if I died. Well, actually he'd resurrect me first, kill me again, and resurrect me again." Sora laughed. "I take it he's partial to you?" Demyx rubbed the back of his neck casually as he watched Link open the chest Larxene's discarded knives had summoned.

"Yeah, you could say that."

Link found an object inside the chest and stared at it, showing it to Demyx. "Did Zexion tell you what this is?" Demyx studied it and nodded, fishing out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"Zexy gave me this, so I guess you should read it."

The paper had two entries, they read:

_Clawshot:_

_The Clawshot is an item with three claws that are used to grab things to pull them to the user, or pull the user to them. Can be combined with another clawshot hidden somewhere in Hyrule to create the Double Clawshots, which add greater mobility when using them._

_Morpheel:_

_Morpheel is the boss monster of the Lakebed Temple. Morpheel likes to hide unless provoked by danger, but is, ironically, more dangerous in hiding than in plain sight. When it is burrowed underground, it will send out its only eye to spot predators or prey through several tentacles attached to its body, which is usually hidden. When provoked out of hiding (usually by damaging the eye) it comes out of the sand and swims around, searching for the threat. Destroy the eye in a niche in its body to kill it before it kills you._

"Wow," said Sora, staring at the text, "I wonder how big this Morpheel thing really is. Have you seen it, Demyx?" He shook his head. "Nope. Vexen chased me out before I could see anything. The room it's hiding in is huge, though. So maybe the creature is of similar size."

Sora looked at Link, at then at their way out, which Link was already headed for. "I guess all we can do now is press on. You sure you're all right Demyx?" He rubbed his face, thinking. "I suppose an Ether couldn't hurt. I'm dog tired, seriously." Sora laughed and handed him one, casting Curaga for good measure. They proceeded to make it back to the temple's main room.

The water they'd freed from before was now flooding into the main chamber and raising the water level to reach the boss room just a little more.

"The other side must have the last of the water needed to fill the gap in the bottom," Sora observed, "and the boss key. But which door?" Link looked around. "Well, we came in both of the east doors to set the water free, right? I would assume that if this place is symmetrical like Demyx says, that we should chose the west doors, provided we turn around this staircase first." He smiled, proud that he'd been able to figure it out on his own.

Sora was amazed. "Yeah, I guess so." He noticed the lower west door had a clawshot target at the top of the entryway. "That target, I think you need to use it. It'll turn the staircase around so that the water is flowing into the rooms below." Link looked at him skeptically. "What do you think that'll do?" Sora shrugged. "Dunno. Might be useful, though. You never know."

Link couldn't argue with that. So they carefully made their way around to said target, which Link latched onto that did indeed turn the staircase around so that the water flowed into the room behind them. The entered the door and found exactly why they needed to turn the door around. "Oh. We needed the water to turn the waterwheel so we could get to the other side," Demyx muttered, examining the careful details of the teeth of the wheel.

"Demyx!" Sora cried, "We need a little distraction here!" His Keyblade clashed against a Lizafols's curved blade. Another Lizafols was dueling Link on the other side, though Sora wasn't sure how he was faring. (1)

Demyx quickly complied, and summoned his sitar, stunning the creatures with his paralyzing melody, allowing Sora and Link to finish off their targets easily. "You know," Sora complimented, "I can see that you do fight, if in your own, strange sort of way, you know?" Demyx shrugged. "It's just how I roll, man. To me, there isn't anything wrong with it. It doesn't really matter if I'm a nobody or a somebody, I just like being, you know? Even if I'm not meant to be, I like it." Sora, who was confused at first, had Roxas explain it to him, after which he saw Demyx in a completely new light as they entered the next room.

This particular room, it seemed, could only be traversed using the Clawshot. "The Zoras are a clever race, making it so only they could use things in this temple," Demyx said, "or at least from what I've seen." Link traced a path using the clawshot with his eyes and turned to Demyx and Sora. "I'm going to try to get to that door there," he pointed to the door on the high platform across the way. "You can use magic, right? Could you use it to… somehow get yourself over there once I do?" Demyx thought, and then his eyes lit up with an idea.

"I think so. Go on ahead." So Link did. Sora turned to Demyx. "What did you have in mind? You know, in getting over there?" Demyx frowned. "I don't know… my thinking was we could use a portal of darkness to get over there but now I'm not sure… would you be okay with it?" Sora blinked. "Sure, why not?" He shot a glance in Link's direction. "Link needs my help too; he just won't admit it."

Somewhere from behind a column of stone Link shouted, "Hey! I heard that!"

Sora just laughed.

Demyx took Sora through a portal of darkness as quickly as possible to the other side right when Link arrived. "You swear you're okay?" Demyx asked him. Sora nodded. "It wasn't that uncomfortable. It's just…" here he shook his head, "… slightly disorienting." Demyx rubbed the back of his neck as they entered the next room. "Sorry about that." Sora shrugged. "I'm fine, I swear. Chill, Demyx."

Demyx grinned. "Nah, that's Vexen's job." Again, they laughed as they surveyed the room. To their left were two geysers of water and a stalactite, and to their right were another waterwheel and a Bubble Bug, which Link just aimed at with his Clawshot and killed in no less than five seconds.

Link then proceeded to shoot the stalactite so that it landed on the geyser and they used it to cross over to the other side, where a lone Tektite was waiting to be destroyed. "Funny how we haven't seen any Nobodies… besides you, Larxene, and Vexen, of course." Sora observed as Demyx was helping him up the next platform, which was too high to climb on one's own.

"I guess Vexen was too busy arguing with Larxene to even try," Demyx said, chuckling, "in the Organization she was famous for winning every single one. And Vexen? Well… when he puts his mind to something… my guess is he was so focused on her he forgot about reinforcements."

There were more Bubble Bugs, which they destroyed, and they helped each other to the other side climbing up the new revolving path to release the water up top, Link clawshotting his way up and Sora and Demyx jumping over the gaps in the path. At the end, Link pulled down the switch that released the water and a new ride. He also retrieved the compass behind the waterfall before going down the stream of water.

Demyx laughed harder every time they dropped between the gaps.

Demyx squealed in what Sora could only assume was fear as they swam to the edge of the pool, getting up out of the water before the strange bone-looking fish made parts of them their next meal. "Those are Skullfish. If you thought the Biri were creepy, these guys just take the cake, man." He watched as Link pulled down the next switch that released the water into the areas beyond.

They exited through the door to the right, and went under the water to the waterwheel, which was now moving and turned right through another door, which led to the very top of the second cog room. They jumped down and made their way carefully over to a door in the southwest corner of the room. Once through it, they found themselves at a room with several small pools that were actually deeper than they seemed.

It took some doing (after Demyx tried to lull several Biri into his paralyzing melody – which they learned was NOT a good thing to happen) but eventually they got to the Big Key chamber, which was filled with Skullfish and of course, the key. Link took the liberty of quickly snatching it so they could get out of there before they became fish food, literally.

They made it back to the cog room, which they quickly exited (Demyx simply transporting Sora and himself to the entrance) and made their way back to the main chamber. Once again the water they'd activated before made it into the room and raised the level enough so that they could reach the boss door!

"Cool! Let's get down there and end this!" Sora cried, jumping down. Demyx and Link looked at each other for a brief moment, but then shrugged and followed suit, taking care not to be bitten by the Skullfish before they reached the edge.

Link unlocked the door and they entered a small chamber with a hole in the middle. Demyx gulped. Sora looked at him skeptically. "You okay?" Demyx pouted. "I'm just not very fond of the dark… can't see what I'm playing, you know? Among… other things." Sora gently put a hand to his back while Link kicked over a nearby pot and caught the fairy inside.

"You're with us! Besides, it can't be too dark down below. There's always some sort of light in any darkness, you know that!" Demyx smiled. "Thanks, kid. You're not a bad person for Roxas, you know?" Sora's cheeks flushed, misinterpreting his meaning. But thankfully, Demyx didn't see.

"So, you two ready?" Link asked them. Sora and Demyx nodded. "He's keeping Donald and Goofy with him. We gotta get 'em back!" Demyx nodded. "Sure. Let's go." So they did. And they landed in more water. Demyx and Sora kept diving while Link applied his Iron Boots to weigh him down faster, and he kept clear away from the clear thing in the middle of this huge cylindrical room.

Once they landed, they came closer to this thing, and was then that they realized the thing inside the long clear thing in the middle of the sand was… Vexen!

"Ew, gross!" Demyx complained, "You could've picked a better way to merge with that thing, Vexen… ugh." Vexen sneered. "Well, it seems Larxene's temper got the better of her. Hmph. Well temper, for me, won't be an issue. By my calculations, I have a ninety-nine percent chance of winning without a scratch."

Sora grinned. "I take it that last percent is us winning back Donald and Goofy, right?" Vexen's sneer softened slightly. "Perhaps. Dare you challenge me, then?" Sora nodded. "Yeah!" He raised a hand in the air… water, and clenched it. Vexen scoffed. "Pity. Give me a good fight, at the very least."

And so he disappeared under the sand through the tentacle and came back out with several more, which were crackling with electrical energy. "Let me handle this," Link said to them, shooting his Clawshot at Vexen, bringing him out of his little sanctuary and slashing at him twice. One of Vexen's tentacle's caught him and brought him back, sending out several bomb fish to distract Link from getting to him.

"Demyx? Can we play down here?" Demyx nodded, pulling out his sitar. Again, Demyx and Sora played a doubly paralyzing harmony and melody, which gave Link enough time to grasp Vexen a second time and slash at him again before he finally allowed himself to cry out in pain and he disappeared into the sand, the tentacles disappearing with him.

Sora blinked and looked at Demyx, his ice blue water shield glowing a little dimmer. (2) "Um… we're not done, are we?" Demyx whimpered. "Not by a long shot…"

There was a great rumbling beneath their feet (though because of the way their bodies moved in water they didn't fall back too much from the tremors) and after some time, and _huge_, really, really long eel came out of the water, Vexen infused to the top of its head. (A/N: If you've ever seen that one episode of Yu-Gi-Oh with Dartz in the Leviathan, it looks sort like that, but it's Vexen, and he's ice-blue, not purple. :D)

It began to swim around and search for them, as if it were…

"It's hunting us! Great… we gotta move!" Sora yelled. It was easier said than done, since Demyx, though he was the water expert, didn't have any fins or fin-like clothing to aid in his swimming, he managed to get to safe height in the middle. Sora was the most adapted for this, since using his Zora fins to steer and riding the currents came naturally to him, he was more agile in the water. Link was somewhere in between.

Sora remembered the technique that the Hero's Shade had taught him, but he was distracted by Link latching onto the beast with his Clawshot, and after getting in a few hits, was thrown off, his legs frozen from Vexen's retaliation.

To make matters worse, he was also unconscious.

"No!" Sora turned to Demyx, whom he was right next to. "What should we do?" Demyx looked him over, worry lines in his brow. "What about the hidden power of that mask? I've heard it grants the user something great… in your case, I don't know. I doubt I'll be of much help. I could play my music to distract it, but that may do more damage than good."

Sora wondered what the power of the mask could be.

_Sora!_ Roxas cried out. Sora's head snapped up.

_Yes, Roxas?_ He called. _Try summoning another Keyblade in your left hand! I've been examining the energies of this mask and it's kind of like when you used drive forms before you got your new clothes…_

Sora was skeptical, but it couldn't hurt.

He raised his left hand and summoned up some energy. He closed his eyes and felt a flash. When he opened them, he was surprised to find another Keyblade in his left hand that he hadn't remembered having before. It was longer than the Kingdom Key, but thinner and lighter, made of the same coral the Zora Guitar was around the handle, thick fish spines for the shaft, and what looked like three huge teeth at the very end. However, it compensated its lightness with a huge store of extra magical power, probably enough to take out Vexen and Morpheel in one hit!

Sora grinned while Demyx stared at it. He summoned up as much Thunder energy as he possibly could and poured it into the two Keyblades. Then, right as the huge eel was coming toward them to eat them (Demyx was stark white and couldn't move, but he trusted Sora) Sora targeted Vexen and threw both Keyblade towards him for a double critical hit that sent the eel reeling.

"Thunder Strike!"

Vexen's magic came undone and Link's legs unfroze just before the eel lost control of itself and rammed into a wall, releasing the water from the chamber.

Link also came to (albeit with a slight headache) and walked over to Sora, who was still in Zora form with the second Keyblade in his hand. "What's that one called?" he asked. "Shark Bait," Sora said, looking it over. "Looks really cool." Then he dismissed both Keyblades and removed the Zora mask, becoming himself again. After he did so, they walked over to a slowly fading Vexen.

"You promised," Sora spat softly. Vexen glanced up him. "I suppose so. Here," he said, flicking his wrist, Donald and Goofy appearing on the ground, unfrozen, "your friends…" His breathing started to wheeze. "I guess… my calculations were wrong, huh?" Sora shrugged. "I don't think there were any calculations at all." Vexen laughed, and hacked a little.

"Yeah, guess not… you did… give me one… hell of a fight though…"

He looked up and Demyx and flashed a grin. "You too, Number IX. You did good…" His words faded into nothingness as the rest of him did. Then, the eel creature burst apart, the debris of it coming together to create the last Fused Shadow.

Donald and Goofy finally came to and walked over to the group. "Gawrsh that hurt… " Donald shivered. "And it was cold!" Sora laughed. "You just need to be warmed up, that's all! Here, let me help!" He laughed as he dog piled into them, hugging them tightly. They stood up when Midna coughed and brought their attentions to her.

"That's it! The last Fused Shadow… I think I'll take that!" she said, her hair/hand grabbing the Fused Shadow. Now, don't resent me for all I've put you through. I _need_ this thing!" Demyx waved a finger. "Zexy said that they needed it, not you!" Midna huffed. "So? I'm the only one that can actually use it!" Demyx weighed the words in his head, shrugging. "I guess that's fair."

"Besides," she continued, "we have to do something about Zant, the one who thinks he is the king of shadows… His power is a false one… I'll prove it using these!" Demyx shrugged. "Good luck with that."

She shot a pout towards him, which he ignored. "So…" she started again, softer, "I've done everything I needed to." She turned to Link, Sora, and his friends. "I'm sorry for dragging you all over the place with me…" She actually sounded generally sorry. She floated over to a soft of dry land and conjured a Twilit Portal. "So… Shall we go?"

Sora walked up to Demyx. "What about you? How are you…?" Demyx winked. "I'm headed for my Zexy. I hope I get to see you guys again. It was fun!" He grinned, waving to them as a portal of darkness appeared behind him. "Promise me you won't die any time soon?" Sora laughed. "Sure, Demyx. And I promise I'll tell Roxas about the socks." Demyx slapped his forehead.

He left saying, "Hey, no fair…"

And then they were left there with Midna. They turned to each other, Link, Sora, Donald and Goofy. "Wow, are we really done already?" Goofy asked Sora. Sora frowned. "We still got to beat that Zant guy, right? Maybe we're not totally done…" Link didn't say anything. He had a bad feeling about this… Donald tugged at Sora's sleeve. "Come on, let's go!"

Sora looked at Link. "Coming, slow poke?" Link looked up and grinned, following them into the portal.

* * *

Hey, don't you be dissin' my Zexy, okay? Dems is good for him! XD I'm a sucker for the Zemyx pairing so you know, I had to throw it in there. Plus, with Zexion out of the Organization, Demyx has to go with him, you know?

Okay, footnotes!

1) Eh, so there was only a Tektite in that room, give me a break! I'm the authoress here so I can twist a few details to my will. (evil grin)

2) It's kind of like an ice-blue glow around him. Demyx's element is water, so he has to have some way to breathe in it, right? After all, how'd he get down to the temple in the first place without it? :)

As for the Sora/Roxas pairing that's appeared, I really didn't intend for that to happen. It sort of just got up and became its own thing, you know? The idea was supposed to be that Roxas would come to Sora in his dreams and to keep telling him that he was always there if he needed him, like as a friend. Apparently it went the other way. But, I digress. Even though I like Axel/Roxas better, the Sora/Roxas isn't too bad. As for Kairi… well she can just deal. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.


	12. The Blade of Evil's Bane

Chapter Twelve: The Blade of Evil's Bane

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 12

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If you can give me a time machine, some Verituserum (or however you spell it), and a wand, and could most certainly own this thing. :) But, since I have none of those things at this current moment in time, I don't.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Ooh! We get to see Zexy again! w00t! I'm having so much fun with this, I don't remember the last time I had fun writing a fic… trust me, I'm all smiles writing this. I'm also a little loopy (Pepsi sugar rush) so, yeah. I'm just warning you. Okay, on with the fic!

(Sorry for the late update, but it is technically still Monday... I'm actually considering - if I cannot make Monday/Thursday deadlines, moving the updates to Monday/Friday deadlines, and if I can't keep up with that, just Fridays, so that's just a warning. It was a busy first day let me tell you and it's only going to get busier.)

* * *

Midna's portal set them right at the edge of Lanayru's spring, at the ledge. Link was at the very edge, lost in thought, that bad feeling still haunting him. Sora was behind him, to his left, and Goofy to his right, Donald standing behind them but in between. Nothing about the situation seemed to fit.

That is, until Link turned around to speak to Sora.

"Hey Sora, I–" He stopped. Sora, Donald, and Goofy turned, very, very slowly. For a few moments, no one moved, nothing was said, until Sora said, "Hey, what's the big ideeeeaa!"

At this point, he and his friends were cast aside telekinetically, leaving the King of Twilight to walk towards a shell-shocked Link. But it wasn't him that the man was after. A glow began to form behind Link as he stared, frozen on the spot, the glow of the spirit Lanayru. Lanayru burst from the water, fangs bared, and light ready to attack the Dark King.

But it didn't even get the chance.

A burst of power took care of that, knocking Link backwards, hitting his head on the ground, knocking him out briefly, and sending the great golden spirit-snake reeling. It disappeared into the water, the world briefly becoming as it was before for the purpose of a single conversation.

Midna appeared, of her own will or his one couldn't say, sitting – or so she appeared – casually beside Link.

"Zant!" she barked.

But that was all she said before Zant's telekinesis picked her up and held her up helplessly in the air, removing from her person the Fused Shadows she'd schemed so hard to obtain. She panicked, both appalled and afraid, not just of his actions, but of his simple audacity! Then again, it did not matter what she was, she couldn't be so formidable in this form anyway.

Zant laughed softly, the sound echoic – coming from within his armor – and light, strange as it sounded. "Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?" he asked her incredulously, "You are a foolish traitor, Midna."

He threw the Fused Shadows behind him as if they were nothing.

"Why do you defy your king?" He inquired of her, one almost hearing the smile without even seeing it.

"My _king_?" Midna snapped, scoffing. Anger flowed from her being like a thousand waterfalls; now that was the true audacity! He had the nerve to call himself her king? "You," she continued spitefully, "who do nothing but abuse the magic of your tribe? You must be joking!" She struggled futilely against her bonds, baring her imp teeth as dangerously as possible.

Zant didn't move. Instead, he hissed, "How dare you?! Are you implying that my power is… our old magic? Now THAT is a joke!"

Quick as a flash, he threw her behind him and thrust her into the ground beside the fallen Link, now a wolf once more. Midna coughed up dirt as she struggled to recover. For once in her life, she actually felt fear. Oblivious to Zant, she could hear his ramblings, but did not comprehend his words. The were empty, held no meaning…

"This power us granted to me by my god! It is the magic of the King of Twilight, and you WILL respect it!"

A reddish black ball of energy erupted from his hands, aimed at her. Slowly, Midna lifted her head and looked back, too slow on her reflexes to do anything. Powerless. Sora, Donald and Goofy could only watch as these scenes were unfolding, now animals themselves.

Saïx was standing above them, behind them, looking down upon their prone forms. "Well," he sneered softly, "it seems we've finally caught you at last, Roxas. You've still a chance, you know, at coming back to us. Just do it. It shouldn't be too hard… why, I bet you've figured out how to take physical form already, and _more_." Oh, how Sora would have shuddered if he could at his words. How malicious they sounded.

And… how did he know? It seemed some of the Organization members knew about Roxas and himself, but not all. In the hands of Saïx, this was dangerous information. If he knew what they were slowly becoming to one another…

Sora, if he could've spoken, wisely chose to keep his mouth shut. His mind was a different story, however.

_Roxas! Roxas! You're not seriously-__ -No. I am yours, Sora, always._

This was what went on for the duration of the scenes they watched happen to Link and Midna. Continuing…

Link saw what Zant was about to do, and quickly leapt to his feet. He did not know, and probably wouldn't know, at least, until much, much later, exactly why he did what he did, but he jumped in front of the path of the death-ball, being thrown off to the side carelessly from the energy. Midna, horrified, went to his side.

Saïx spoke softly, scorn lining his voice like stained linen.

"How sickly sweet… It seems she favors the creature of light more than you, hmm?" Zant stood still, watching. "Be silent," he hissed. And that was all he said before his attentions turned to the frantic Midna, who did not notice the black-and-orange stone sinking slowly into the unconscious Link's forehead.

Saïx just smiled as Zant brought Midna close to him using his telekinesis, for she knew would have done so on her own. But, as he held her in place, she looked defeated. Crushed. Beaten.

"My Midna…" he whispered to her, "Did you forget? That beast is one of the light dwellers who oppressed our people. No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world. You cannot consort with their kind! But if we can make their world ours, Midna… light and darkness will meet at last. Our tribe will take back their realm… and sweet darkness will blot out this harsh light!"

Midna wasn't listening. Well, she was, but she wasn't hearing the words in the way one does and understands them. She tuned him out, imagining that world of complete, suffocating twilight, and she had to admit, she was horrified at what she saw. And his words! How despicably cruel!

He made things that were so dark seem so… light, so hardly worth thinking of. The killing, the despair…! Something jolted her out of her thoughts. It was the next of Zant's words.

"And that, Midna, is why…" here, the very bottom of Zant's faceplate undid itself, and his whispered to her in a still softer voice, "I need you."

He brought her closer. "Not just for me," he told her huskily, "but for all of our people… Lend me your power." Midna snapped. It took some moments, but finally, when she realized his control on her had lessened, she jumped from his 'embrace', and rushed once more to Link's side.

Zant, if he reacted, did not show it in any change of his mouth. Instead, he simply said, "So be it… I will return you to the light world you covet!"

Midna's head looked up sharply into nothing before she was quickly taken from her place by Link and held unwillingly in the air above the water. What was he going to do? Drown her? Then she realized exactly what he had said. She panicked, but she could not struggle. She… wasn't going to live through this, she knew. She felt it rattling within her like a dying last breath screaming to be let loose. To stop being.

But she was too terrified of death. The light spirit, seemingly (it had to be of Zant's accord and not its own) unfeeling, rose from the pool, the twilight disappearing. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were human again, but still unmoving. Link was still a beast, unconscious.

Then, with a long, loud, painful cry, the Light Spirit Lanayru blasted Midna with the purest light until the surroundings could no longer be seen.

Three figures with blue gray, red, and blond hair, knowing what was to come, came and stole away the three heroes with strict instructions to bring them far away from the spring. They sprinted away through the darkness, as Link and Midna were spirited away by the light spirit to that very place, awaiting their awakenings.

Zant and Saïx, upon recovering from the light, were shocked to find themselves alone in the chamber.

Not even the full moon could've kept the _Luna Diviner_ calm that night.

.oOo.

Zexion waited. He was always good with waiting. He'd bid Axel a quick, emotionless goodbye, the redhead not bothering to return the goodbye with a quick comment of levity, as was his wont. He left for the destination Zexion sent him to without question.

Demyx was harder to persuade. He promised they would meet again, and silenced the _Nocturne_ with a few deep kisses, sternly telling him to head for his own objective. Their… love, as it were, was a luxury they couldn't afford.

So he waited, sitting on a rock, watching Sora, Donald, and Goofy's unconscious forms lying side by side on the grass. He was also waiting for the light spirit to transport Link to this spot. It wasn't the wrong one; his book was never wrong! It knew everything, even if he didn't. He just wondered, idly, why the spirit was taking its damn sweet time.

As if to answer his query, a light appeared from above, waking the heroes on the grass, and setting down a confused, dizzy Wolf Link with a mortally injured Midna on his back.

Zexion observed her colors, the light grays and dark splotches… she was fading, and fast.

"_Link,"_ Lanayru spoke, the voice coming from nowhere, _"hero chosen by the goddesses… Go to the princess locked away in the castle. That princess holds the key that can unlock you form your shadow form…"_

And then the voice fell silent, Link still as confused as ever. It was then that he noticed Sora, Donald, and Goofy recovering on the grass, as well as Zexion, sitting on a rock. "Did you… save us?" Link asked him. Zexion frowned, his fingers drumming quickly against his lexicon. "Yes and no. I and my renegade comrades saved Sora and his friends; the light spirit Lanayru was your savior."

He stood up, dusting himself. "But, I digress… we have a more pressing matter at hand." He looked at Midna's weak, dying form. Link bit back a gasp. He'd never seen her like this before, nor had he ever been so aware of her skin – which was far warmer than it should've been – pressing against his fur. He looked at Zexion. Sora, who had by now recovered his wits, saw Link, still in wolf form, and asked the question first.

"Why is Link still a wolf and we are not?"

Zexion flipped through his book, searching for answers. But his book, though it knew all, could not tell all, so he closed it, unsatisfied. "I'm afraid I know not. This princess the light spirit Lanayru has instructed us to go to might know, however. If you recall, Lady Telma has an underground entrance to the castle, but I'm afraid only Link is able to access it. If you want in with him, you'll have to follow me." Zexion held out a hand, though his face was a mix of several things to be considered hopeful.

Seeing as it was his only chance, Sora took it, and in turn, helped up Donald and Goofy. "Sorry Link, you'll have to go it alone. If we make it before you, we'll wait, I promise." Zexion looked towards the wolf sharply. "But if you make it before us, do not hesitate. Midna is more important than you know."

He and Link locked eyes for a moment, but then he nodded sharply and started off for the Castle Town at a run.

Zexion turned to Sora. "I can get us to the front gates of the castle, past the guards, but there is a strange magic at work that will not allow me to do so within the walls of Hyrule Castle. Nonetheless, we must make haste." He held out his arm to Sora, who took it. Goofy took his other arm, and Donald did the same to Goofy. When he was sure everyone had everyone, he opened up a portal and suddenly they were at the large, dominating gates of Hyrule Castle.

Silent as night, Zexion opened the door, showing the three heroes in and locating the tower quickly. He proceeded to lead them through the maze of hallways and doors, hoping they reached it soon.

.oOo.

Link helped Midna back onto his back as he was thrown out from the bar. He cried out, "No! Stop! Let me in! I must use the secret passageway!"

The door was opened again, a surprised Telma staring down at him.

"I know that voice… you can't be… Link?!" Link pawed at her feet, whining something terrible. "Yes, it's me, Telma! Please, this… Midna… she needs help! I must get her to the castle!" Telma looked deep into his eyes.

"What… what's happened to you, boy? And please, come in, get out of this rain!" Link walked in, wanting to shake, but couldn't, for fear of dropping Midna again. She was already too hot, and her breathing… he could hear it in his ears like a ticking clock, tocking away until her last.

He whimpered. "Please, I need… the secret passage." The cat behind her legs meowed. "Hello. I'm Louise… we were not properly introduced before. The passage is above you. See those ropes?" He looked to them. Telma looked down at Louise. "I take it you can understand her?" Link nodded. "That passageway…" Telma nodded and called for a ladder. Then she scooped him up in her arms, Midna included, and placed them on the ledge.

"You hurry back to your human form, you hear? I hope you heal your friend."

Link didn't say anything more, thankful for his fortune as Telma's friend. He entered the passageway into a small, money filled room. Link growled, sensing danger, and used his senses to spot the ghost nearby, and he killed it, taking something from it that was black and round and… nasty tasting. He took a few licks at some of the rainwater that had made it into the house.

After he was done, he looked for any way to proceed, but could find none. Suddenly, a voice jolted him from his search, and he realized (to his surprise) it was the golden man sitting on the chair.

"Oh… thanks for beating that ghost. Can I call you… doggie?"

Link snorted. He supposed it was better than mongrel, monster, or whatever else the people of Hyrule Castle Town had said under their breaths as he'd run past them.

"Fine… do you know of any passage into the castle?"

The man didn't appear to hear him. "I'm Jovani," he said, "I… became consumed by greed long ago, and sold my soul to a dark creature that did this to me… I can't move… I can't go see my girlfriend… My pet cat Gengle is frozen on my head… I don't think I could be more miserable…"

Link sighed. "If I help you find more of those things will you just show me the way out?" Jovani's jeweled eyes flashed. "Yes, yes! Just twenty, I think should do it. Oh, but it's raining out now, so I don't think you can go outside directly." Link snorted. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Jovani didn't seem to hear him, again. "I'll open the door to the underground waterway for you…" When the chest beside him opened, Link did not hesitate to enter it.

The sewers were no better of a trip than the last time.

Link arrived at the spiraling staircase with great relief. "Goodness… all those ropes… I wonder who put them up?" He shook his head. Trying his best to avoid the Moblins strewn about the tower. He made is way back outside, running across an impromptu bridge when the wind blew it his way, running as fast as his legs would carry him to the tower.

Zexion had just opened the door when he heard a thump on the stone. A shaken Wolf Link turned when he heard the door's hinges squeak, but was relieved to find it was only them.

"It seems we've made it at the same time. Convenient." They wasted no time in walking up the steps to the Princess's room.

She wasn't where she had been before. Sora almost feared that she wasn't even there as Link padded forward, Midna falling off his back onto the ground. Link nudged her with his nose, trying to get her to move, but it was no use… until a white-gloved hand was laid against her side.

Zelda was still there all right. She looked down at Midna with kind, pitiful eyes, Midna looking up at her much in the same manner, but with fear, and the knowledge that death was that much closer with each breath she took. Zelda took her hands gingerly.

"Please…" Midna wheezed softly, "Please tell me… How do we break… the curse on this one?" She looked off into nowhere, Zexion moving around the group, just watching. Sora, Donald and Goofy stood a little ways to the left of the scene, opposite of Zexion. "This…" she continued, "is the one… You need him… to save your world! That's why… Princess… Please… You must help Link…"

Zelda looked up, her thoughts coiling around one another.

Slowly, she held up a hand; her right hand in particular. A triangular symbol glowed upon it, and it glowed far brighter than before as she moved it towards Link's forehead.

She let the hand and its glow fall. "What binds him is a different magic," she said softly, "than what transformed him when he first passed the curtain of twilight. It is an evil power." Link's head bowed. "So I've no chance of returning to human form, then?" Zelda shook her head. "I did not say that. You see, our world is one of balance… Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil."

Link looked up, hopeful. "Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages… the Master Sword."

"Sounds a lot like the keyblade," Sora mused thoughtfully. Zelda, beneath her bindings, smiled softly. "Yes, it is very much like the keyblade, only allowing its chosen to wield it. The Master Sword is a sacred blade that evil can never touch. Evil cloaks you like a dark veil… and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it."

Midna lay, staring at the ceiling with but one thought on her mind, though she hadn't yet enough gathered strength to speak it.

Zelda went on to say, "Link… Hero sent by the goddesses… Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses…" She held up her right hand to show them the faded symbol of the Triforce embedded into her glove. Link studied it, and then examined his left paw.

"So that's why… this… I'm the vessel of the Triforce of Courage, then?" Zelda nodded. Midna, by now, had enough strength gathered to speak her mind. She tugged at Zelda's skirts lightly, faintly, as if she couldn't keep a hold of her own motor functions. "Fine…" she said softly, her voice little more than a whisper, "Link… You can… You can get to the woods… with their help, right?"

Link nudged her again, laying on his stomach and whined. "No… Midna…"

Sora, as he watched the scene, heard Roxas say, _Whoa, when did that happen?_ Sora could only assume he meant the sudden display of affection and worry for the imp. _I'm… not sure._

"Princess…" she croaked, "I have one last request… Can you tell him… where to find the Mirror of Twilight?"

Princess Zelda gasped. It was a quiet gasp, but the whole room, no, perhaps the whole world went silent. For a moment, there was complete silence. Then Zelda said gingerly, "Midna… I believe I understand now just who and what you are… Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead… These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna, I pass it to you…"

No one could understand what she was talking about. Link had stood up again, and was staring at the Princess intently. Zexion frowned a little more. Sora, Donald, and Goofy remained silent and dumbfounded.

It wasn't until her hands, the very same hands that were clasped around one of Midna's own, began to glow, and Midna began to panic with the realization of what Zelda was doing. She floated up in the air, Zelda's power healing her faster than Zelda was fading. There was a single moment that she could hear he heart beat, slowly, echoic and loud, in slow motion. It was after this that she shouted, futilely, "No! Link, stop her!"

But it was too late, and no one had enough control of themselves to even speak.

By the time Midna's hand had left Zelda's, she was already gone. Midna was slowly set down on the ground, fully healed, standing poised as she watched the spot Zelda had once occupied. Once again, for some moments, all there was, was silence.

It was Midna who spoke first.

With a hanging head and heavy heart, she barked softly at Link, "We go back! Back to Faron Woods!" She realized she was talking to Sora and his friends as well. Quickly, with some regret, she resumed her place on Link's back, and looked to Zexion. "We'll meet next at the West Gate. You got it?" Zexion nodded. "Yes." He said simply.

Midna paused before warping Link, and said, hopefully to Zelda, "Zelda… I've taken all that you had to give… though I did not want it."

Then she warped quickly away. Zexion took Sora's hand, and they followed.

Upon arriving at the west gate, they witnessed a strange sight. As they were heading for Faron Province, a strange, golden pyramid encased the castle, most likely preventing entry of any kind.

"Seems we can no longer go back," Zexion mused, "this is a most interesting fact." He sniffed the air and looked startled for a moment, to which Sora asked him if he was all right. Zexion fell back into another contemplative air. "I smell the scent of the Superior… or, well, you know him as Xemnas. He's had a hand in this…"

Sora raised and eyebrow. "Don't you think that's kind of obvious?" Zexion shook his head furtively. "That's not what I mean. He's done that to the castle, and thus we must tread lightly around town, at times if we choose to return." Sora looked towards the ground, processing.

Midna turned her head towards them. "We're warping to the woods. You four! Look lively now!" Though the words themselves were harshly spoken, one could hear that the venom they were once said with was no longer present.

So they portaled to the woods, where they met back up with Midna and Link. They were already jumping across a series of jumps which looked a little far by human standards. "But we can't portal?" Zexion shook his head. "No… the old magic of this forest isn't letting me. You three can use Glide, can you not?" Sora nodded. "Superglide, too. Do you…?" Zexion actually grinned, which, however highly uncharacteristic of him, he had found himself doing a lot lately.

"No, I'm afraid I'm quite capable of making those distances on my own. Perhaps not in that exact manner, but I'm no damsel in distress."

Sora shrugged. "Fine with me. As long you don't fall to your death, we're all good." Zexion scoffed softly. "I'd never dream of it. I made a promise to Demyx that I'd see him again…" Sora smiled, flashing a casual pose. "Oh? I'd heard from Demyx that you were sweet on him… ha, ha!" Zexion groaned. "Please… as if, we could actually feel…" Now, as they were arriving at the moving bridges, it was Sora's turned to scoff.

"Roxas… is beginning to feel, I think." Zexion raised an eyebrow, but then looked away. "His other, you, is still alive. I think even you would notice that fact. And if you're wondering about Axel… it could be his intimate friendship with Roxas that's given him the phantom feelings he's been experiencing. Myself and everyone else… we have the memories of feelings, and simply that, though oftentimes it doesn't seem as such."

Sora nodded as they arrived at the spot where Link had finished singing to the tune of the Howling Stone.

Then they entered the sacred chambers of the forest.

Zexion shivered as they walked inside. The air in this forest only seemed to chill him slightly, warding off the stench of darkness that lay on his metaphysical person, allowing him to, for once in his life as a Nobody, feel the light magic that Sora and his friends raved about. It truly was something.

It practically poured out of Sora, despite the strange aura that Roxas's separate consciousness gave off – it seemed to be shifting between the light and the dark, unable to find balance.

Was that the cause of Roxas's feelings? If not the sole reason, it definitely had the possibility to be part of it.

While Zexion was musing, Link found another Howling Stone (that looked different from the rest, with a Triforce symbol in the middle) and howled softly to its whistle. Then, after he was finished, a short, leafy creature landed right in front of Zexion, making him shout, obviously caught unaware.

The creature back flipped twice, and proceeded to blow on its horn, causing four strange puppet things to fall from seemingly out of nowhere. Zexion, in an attempt to recover some of his dignity, threw a lash of power at them, and shredded the golems with the pages of his lexicon. More came down a short while later.

"Damn…" Link muttered, "they regenerate… lets go find that Skull Kid so we can concentrate on finding that grove!" No one argued. Zexion consulted his book and it instructed them to follow the sound of the music, and eventually they had caught up with the Skull Kid for the last and final time. He ran off, taunting them, bringing them to a small, round hole in the ground, where the Skull Kid proceeded to repay to them the beatings it had been given.

It stomped it's feet and summoned more and more golems with each hit, but it was easy to do so while it was distracted, and so it didn't take very long to scare it off.

When it finally left, it giggled childishly and called out, "Hee hee hee! … Bye!" And then it was completely gone from their sights.

Sora sighed. "Finally, it's gone. That has to be the most frustrating thing I've ever had to fight, except maybe Ansem. That Heartless just didn't know when to quit, you know?" Donald could agree. "Annoying little…" Goofy tapped Donald on the shoulder. "Donald, watch your language, now." Donald folded his arms and tapped a foot as he looked up at Goofy, frowning.

Sora laughed, but stopped when he noticed Link running up more stairs off to the side. "Hey guys? Link's leaving us behind. We gotta move." With that, he grabbed Donald and Goofy each by one arm and practically flew up the stairs to a wide, rectangular area closed off from the world.

"Gawrsh," said Goofy, "what do you think this place was?" Sora shrugged and looked at Zexion, who flipped through his book. "It's not specific… it appears to be the resting place of the Door of Time, however, though I'm not sure what that is…" With that, Zexion began to flip through more pages as Sora shrugged and gave up on him.

Meanwhile, Link was howling on the triangular spot on the floor, which activated the two stone guardians, and that, in turn, did something really strange to the floor. Zexion, Sora, Donald, and Goofy just barely got out of the way in time to not fall through into the abyss.

"_We are guardians of this land,"_ said the statues, _"Guide us to where we once stood."_

Everyone blinked. This was going to take a while.

And Sora being Sora, went off and went back to the area where they'd fought the Skull Kid, just kicking rocks and looking around. He was a teenage boy after all, he just couldn't possibly sit still.

It was when he found something funny just laying in the grass that he squatted to down to look at it. It was a chain, long a beautiful. It was much like the Aegis Chains he was wearing, only the symbols that repeated on the chain were different. They kind of looked like fairies. Sora picked it up and examined it for a moment before taking it to Zexion.

"He has he had any luck?" Zexion looked up from his book to glace at Link's progress. "Almost there. Did you want to ask me something?" Sora nodded and showed him the chain. "What's this? I thought maybe your book would know."

Zexion flipped through it quickly, coming to a stop at a page with its picture. He looked genuinely surprised. "It's actually a Drive Form, but you can't use it yet. It hasn't been activated. Here, just read the definition."

_Flight Form:_

_The only form of Sora's that is only compatible with his Hyrulian clothing, the Flight Drive Form is different from the others, seeing as it does not use the drive gauge in any way. Due to this effect, it can be turned on and off at the slightest whim after activation._

_For activation to occur, one must be in possession of the Master Sword, and a Recovery Fairy. It will then automatically be active for later use. The Flight Form is a simple process, it turns Sora's surcoat green, his pants tan, his belt brown, and the symbols on his surcoat white. It also grants him the ability to use the Keyblade, Masterkey, and the ability to fly or float similar to the way he could in Neverland. (Minus the golden fairy dust) _

Sora stared at the chain dubiously. "Wow. That's really something. I guess that Light Spirit was right about drive forms… Faron said I'd be given a form to suit my new clothes. But… I just sort of found it." Zexion shrugged, taking his book back. "You don't know that. It could have been 'left' there for you."

Sora hadn't thought of that. It suddenly occurred to him that the ground had returned to normal, and Link was howling (literally) with laughter. "See, I can do things when I put my mind to it, Midna!" Sora and the gang walked up to him as he ran forward straight into the next chamber. Sora looked back at Zexion. "Are you coming or going?"

Zexion looked up at the sun. "I'm waiting for someone. They'll be traveling the rest of the way to the next area with you. I have some things to research."

Sora took that as a dismissal and moved forward with Donald and Goofy.

When he entered, he was blasted by a forceful warm gush of air that threatened to snatch him off his feet, but something held him fast. It was Roxas. No one else could see, and by the time the Master Sword's flash had disappeared, Roxas was back in his own little corner of Sora's soul.

There, at the very centre of the area, stood Link, human once more.

Then he knelt in front of the sword, almost afraid of it. What… was happening? Sora could see the faint outline of a man that looked very much like Link whisper something in his ear.

This man could only be seen by Sora, but could only be heard by Link. He was the original Hero of Time, reassuring the Hero of the Twilight that the sword was rightfully his. It would choose him. "It'll be just fine… take it." With renewed strength, he stood up, and grasped the hilt firmly. Then, slowly, he pulled the sword from it's stone, his sheath magically transforming.

Waves of power billowed out from everywhere, and Midna studied him curiously. "The sword accepted you as its master…" she said, amazed.

Truly, it was an impressive weapon. Though it was nothing to the Keyblade in terms of a Heartless killing machine, it was not a weapon you wanted to cross, especially if you were evil. It shined with a holy light that was almost blinding, and with a slash and a bit of flair, it looked as if it were made for him. Perhaps it had been.

Midna floated up to him, and Link realized with a strange thought that his cheeks were flushing. Of course, since he was in shadow, she couldn't see, which he was thankful for. She held out a shadow stone with orange markings for all of them to see, since Sora and his friends were now gathered around Link.

"This thing is the embodiment of the evil magic that Zant cast on you." It floated lazily on one finger. She looked at it, curious, and said, "It's definitely different from our tribe's shadow magic…" Link reached out slowly, but she stopped him quickly. "Careful… if you touch it, you'll turn back into a beast!" She grasped it in her hands, the stone disappearing.

"This thing is too dangerous… It's probably for the best if we just leave it here, huh?" She glanced at them briefly, but then looked upwards as she spoke some more. "But on the other hand… if we kept it, you'd be able to transform into a beast anytime you wanted…"

She smiled. "Yes, since Zant was kind enough to give this to us, we should be thankful and use it all we can!"

Sora shrugged. "Sounds nice… but can it change us, as well, or just him?" She thought it over. "Dunno. Guess we'll just have to find out, huh? If you need it, just call me. I want to keep a low profile, so I'll hide in your shadow when you're human, but I can change you whenever. You can also be a wolf anytime you like! Also, thanks to this thing, you can warp whenever you want by switching to wolf form…"

She paused for a moment before moving again, this time to his right side, her arms resting on his shoulder. The blush for before was starting to show, but Midna was oblivious to it still.

"Hey, but listen, Link… everyone…" here she looked back at Sora and his friends, "I've got a little favor to ask… Would you mind coming with me to find something called the Mirror of Twilight? It's hidden somewhere in Hyrule…" Midna and Link at last met eyes. There was silence for a moment as her eyes trailed his face and found his flushed cheeks. To distract herself, she spoke again, more forcibly than before.

"Yes, the Mirror of Twilight… Our last potential link to Zant!"

She wanted to badly to reach out and touch his cheek, to feel the warmth beneath her skin, but she could not bring herself to. Instead, she flew around to his front, and met eyes with him once more before disappearing.

With that, Link shoved the strange feelings rustling inside his heart away, to be examined at a later date and turned around.

"Well friends, it seems we've yet more adventures to come."

Sora, Donald and Goofy nodded. "So it seems," said Donald. Sora nodded and looked around, realizing the chain from before was gone. However, he recalled the definition from before, and decided not to worry, at least if it was an automatic activation, like most Forms were.

So they stood there for a single moment, the Blade of Evil's Bane giving strength to them all.

* * *

Crappy ending, gah. But, but, my Zexy got to fight! Sweet! I'm inspired to draw something with Zexy in it now, XD And there seems to be something forming between Midna and Link… could it be a mutual attraction? We shall see… bwahaha… (hackwheezechough) The scene with the Hero of Time was inspired by a deviation on deviantART.

Review, my lovelies! Don't give up on me now!


	13. Tricks, Traps, and Trails

Chapter Thirteen: Tricks, Traps, and Trails

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 13

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If this were mine, I would have enough money so that I wouldn't be sitting wrapped up like a burrito in a Texans blanket with achy bones and a fever. God, I hate cold and flu season...

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Don't ask me why this chapter is called what it is. I used to know, but I don't anymore. Pfft.

We have Demyx again! Don't you worry, Axel is coming up soon, so don't you worry you little heads about him. He's doing a bit of fieldwork… speaking of that, let's check up on him shall we? :D Oh, yeah, if you haven't already noticed, there is yaoi in this story (nothing graphic, unless you want like an interlude fic or something, which I don't mind doing…) but yaoi nonetheless, so if you don't like it, don't read this, okay?

Okay. On with the fic!

* * *

Steady feet walked along the shifting desert sands as the sun beat down on the cloaked figure said feet belonged to. But, he didn't mind. He loved the heat.

Red hair blew softly in the warm air full of sand. He could taste the grains on his tongue and in between his teeth, feeling only slightly off-edge. The desert, while hot, was mostly made of Earth. Which… wasn't his element, obviously. His green eyes, normally mischievous, combed the dunes for any sign of danger like a meerkat on the lookout for predators.

Axel's eyes caught sight of a camp not far from where he was, and he tilted his head in curiosity. "I wonder…" he said to himself. He walked closer, careful not to be seen, and overheard the following conversation between three (actually two – one was asleep) Organization members from behind a pillar of firewood.

"You failed me, beloved." Saïx sighed. "I… didn't mean to, Superior. The light spirit intervened. But otherwise we could've had them! Ganondorf's pet king ruined it with his silly ambitions!"

The Superior flipped his hood to reveal a tanned face and dark silver hair. He reached out and touched his precious _Diviner_'s blue hair, already frizzing with anger. "Now, now, my sweet. I forgive you. But, our resources grow thin, we haven't many members left to spare." Saïx stared at the ground, his delicate lips pulled into a frown, his eyes narrowed slight and his gaze undetermined. "Sometimes I wonder if this is futile, Superior… we were beaten before… why can't we just leave?"

The Superior tsked Saïx softly. "Call me Xemnas, Saïx. As for leaving, it isn't an option. Not for me. You're the only one who knows my deepest desire, to create a new world in my image… if you'll be by my side, that world can have you exist within it as well."

Xemnas's voice was so alluring, so intoxicating… but there was always something in the back of Saïx's mind that told him no.

Still, Saïx stood there and let those dark orbs draw him forward, deeper into the spell of his Superior. Xemnas moved closer and gave Saïx a light peck on his forehead, whispering to him even softer and more seductively than before.

"Wake Lexaeus. Tell him it's time for him to prepare the trek into the Arbiter's Grounds. When you've finished, send him to me." Xemnas left a stranded Saïx standing there, staring after him, and he turned to look down at Lexaeus. He closed his eyes and stood there, trying to remember what it used to be like when things weren't so complicated, when it was just him and his Superior; with no feelings to get in the way.

After all, what could explain the strange occurrences that were happening to him? Vaguely, he wondered if it was because of the strange magic that had brought them back and given them substance. But, because this new Saïx was unsure, the old Saïx wormed its way back into control and beat down his current train of thought.

He huffed and walked to Lexaeus's side. "_Silent Hero_, nap time's over."

Axel watched as Saïx explained to him his new mission and sent him to find Xemnas. Afterwards, Saïx sat next to the fire and things were quiet for a while until Saïx finally said, "I know you're there Axel."

Axel froze. "Just come here, Lea." Hmm. His Somebody name. That usually meant trouble. Axel walked around the woodpile with a big smile on his face, pretending to look happy to see him. "Hey Saïx! Buddy, what's up?" Saïx turned his head slightly in his direction. "Axel, quit the charade." Axel stopped, blinking. Charade? He frowned.

"Sometimes I wonder if it actually is… you know, these feeling we pretend to have. Are they real or not? They weren't before." Saïx scoffed softly, but Axel couldn't hear him. As he stared into the fire, his blue hair less frizzy, the new Saïx coming back just a little, he said, "I wonder that too. More often now than ever. It's not just Roxas now that's… experiencing these… emotions." Axel walked closer and sat next to him by the fire.

"Yeah," he said, casually linking his hands behind his head, "Roxas isn't the special one now." Saïx glared. "That's not what I meant Axel." Axel shrugged. "Be more specific, man, that's all I ask."

Saïx growled, then uncharacteristically put his head in his hands and sighed. "I would ask you to knock it off, but… I don't know if you can. Can you, Axel? Quit… acting this way?" He stared at the sand as if it would bring the answers he sought. Axel lay back in the hot sand, staring up at the cloudless sky. "Hmm. Now that you put it that way… I don't think I can. Not completely. I could pretend to be passive, like you, or coy like Xemnas, but it just wouldn't be _me_."

Saïx's head shot up. "That's it! We've changed, my friend, all of us. Our unfeeling exteriors are peeling away, leaving the core behind. And what is a core? A soul, a spirit… a heart. Could it be that we already have what we've been searching for?" Axel shrugged, his shoulders leaving light imprints in the sand.

"Beats me, buddy. But something tells me Xemnas is trying to bite more than he can chew. If we already have the hearts we've been looking for, why are we still fighting a losing battle?" Saïx glanced at Axel, and then back at the fire (A/N: A fire in the middle of the day? Maybe they're cooking something), his thoughts settling into a strange calm. "You heard what he wants. That world all to his own. Why, I have no idea, but he's obsessed with it."

Here Axel decided to try and make his exit. "Why don't you think about what you want for a change? Do you want what Xemnas wants, or do you want _Xemnas_?"

With that, he headed for the Arbiter's Grounds, leaving a baffled Saïx staring after him.

.oOo.

Sora assumed his signature casual pose as he stared at Zexion and Demyx. "So Demyx is going to accompany us until we find Axel?" Zexion nodded pensively. "Not to say that you need to be watched, but…"

"Demyx needs something to do?"

"I do not!" Demyx said indignantly, "I'm just… well… um, you know, shiny stuff. I get distracted." He laughed softly while rubbing the back of his head, his eyes closing briefly before opening again. "Zexy just happens to be one of those distractions." Sora snickered. "Oh really?"

Zexion tried (and failed) to suppress a groan, a blush, and a headshake all at once. "Please, I…" Demyx gave him a light peck on the cheek. "You're not… _ashamed_ of me are you Zexy?" He gave him his best puppy-dog stare.

Zexion, trying to please Demyx quickly recovered with a, "No! I'm not… I just… gah!" He hid his face in his lexicon, and eventually proceeded to whack himself for his stupidity. Demyx put a hand on the book. "Stop that. You only have so many brain cells, you know." Zexion sighed and tried to look at anything except the people around him. "Yeah, I know. Most of them seem to be on vacation at the moment…" Demyx just smiled. "It's okay, Zexy. You just go check up on whatever it was you were doing before, okay?"

Zexion glanced up at him, amazed at the blond for some reason he couldn't comprehend. "Fine… take care of yourself." He turned his back to Sora and his friends and flashed Demyx a rare smile from behind his hair before disappearing into a portal.

Demyx stared after him for a moment before interrupting the air of silence with a clap and a bouncy smile. "So, where to?"

.oOo.

Link was walking, no running from a group of girls that all wanted a piece of him – clothing, flesh, it didn't matter – down and through the streets of Hyrule Castle Town. How, you ask? Well…

It started as they were walking through the west gate, with every intention to see the Hero's Shade in just past the south gate. However, Sora, being Sora, saw the STAR game tent. They walked in, the room being very dark and somewhat chilly so they didn't quite know what to expect, if they could expect anything.

However, Link spotted the vague shape of a figure in the shadows and was about to draw the Master Sword when lights finally flashed on, blinding them.

When their sight returned, they saw a strange traveling player with a wily grin on his face. Donald wasn't sure if he should be trusted, and for several reasons, though to be honest, he couldn't _actually_ come up with any.

"Greetings and salutations, good sirs! Welcome to the kingdom of hopes and fondest dreams! In this place you can taste the life of a circus star AND get your hands on gear that boggles minds!" Sora leaned down and said to Demyx, "You know, that outfit boggles my mind… how does he breathe in those tights?"

"I heard that!" said the man angrily, eye twitching. Sora just snickered.

"Well," the man muttered, trying to regain some sense of dignity and the same enthusiasm for the rest of his speech that he had before, "It is our _earnest_ hope that you find delight playing the STAR game. The rules are exceedingly simple:

"So all you must endeavor to do is

Track down all the glowing orbs

And collect them all before time

Runs out!"

Goofy tilted his head. "What a strange anagram. Why couldn't you just simplify it or something?" The man, obviously about to say that his 'ingenious' word play was all his idea, spluttered. "But, but… you! Gah! Well do you want to play or not? It's ten rupees a game!" Link took a glance at the cages, and touched the material; his ungloved fingertips deriving that said cage was made of metal, and the gaps were perfect for the clawshot to latch onto.

It was just a game, wasn't it? It couldn't hurt…

"Sure!" Link said, turning around with a wry half-smile, "I'll play!" The man took his rupees and grinned a far too happy grin. "Many thanks good sir! The game will begin once you enter the cage! May chance favor you!"

Link dug into his pockets for the Clawshot. While he was doing this, Donald noticed something strange about the man. He was fiddling with his clock, changing something. Donald tugged at Sora's shirt. "Hey, doesn't that look suspicious to you?" He pointed towards the man as he whispered. Sora looked up and studied his actions. The man grinned to himself and pressed a button on the clock, starting it even before Link entered the cage!

But he entered it a moment afterwards, which probably saved his timing. Link, being a very agile person, didn't take very long to obtain all of the floating shining orbs. He even finished with ten seconds left on the man's clock!

"Im-Impossible!" The man gasped when Link had finished. Sora leaned on the man in such a way that made sure he got his message across. "No, he had plenty of time! He's just good, that's all." Sora leaned closer and whispered to him in a very hot, serious voice, "I saw what you did, you cheater. Next time, if there is a next time, I won't give you a warning, got it?" The man nodded numbly, but shook his head so he could proceed with the rewards.

"Er… Oh, what a happy day this is! The debut of a new star! Showers of applause all around! To the star… I shall give THIS!"

And he handed him a… Big Quiver! It could hold sixty arrows in total!

"… Very well," the man continued, "The next stage will be one created just for you, good sir! I would expire should you decline! Please, you must try it when it is ready!" Link thanked the man and they left…

… running into the girls that were now chasing him.

Link scampered down the south road, hiding behind anything and everything he could find until he finally rushed past a rather stout in stature soldier and tumbled down the steps into the nook that held the entrance to the bar. He was up against the wall, panting, his hair plastered to his face with sweat, when Midna began laughing.

"What a time you're having, aren't you?" Link didn't have the energy to scowl. Instead, he just looked at her skeptically and then rolled his eyes, slinking down to recover.

Midna watched him for some moments, looking frantically toward the steps, praying he wouldn't hear their shrill shrieks… he was flushed, his lips dry and his tongue darted out occasionally to apply saliva to them. She studied his azure eyes, how deep they were, and sharp, and yet they couldn't see how she felt. She needed him. And it was only just now that she realized she needed him in more ways than one.

Link could hear the girls frantically searching for him, but none were smart enough (okay, he took that back – one was, but she was too scared of any 'beasts' that might be hiding down that particular alley) to look down the entranceway to the bar.

Sora and his friends, plus Demyx, of course, found him there a little while later.

"You, ah, gonna be all right?" Link raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Do you really have to ask?" Sora grinned. "Why don't we go visit Telma? That letter was sort of urgent… then we can go see the wolf." Link didn't see a downside… So they walked in, Telma greeting them heartily upon their arrival.

"Oh my… if it isn't Link and his friends!" She sighed, taking in the sight of them. Demyx slipped past them and sat at a table in the back where some complimentary tea and cakes were set. He took a sip from one of the cups, glancing at the young postman sorting letters at the table next to his, but he didn't comment.

Link, Sora and his friends walked closer to Telma.

"You made it! How've you been, my loves?!" Goofy hyucked. "Gawrsh, ma'am, we're all right. But how's business?" Telma sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "It could be better. Ever since the swordsmen know I don't welcome cowards in my bar, hardly any of them come any more. Most are just regular drunks and such at night, you know? But it's not as bad as it was when I was first here as a waitress. Hardly any customers, day or night!" She laughed jovially before softening it once more to a slight chuckle.

"Well you boys have got good timing! I was just talking about you!" She looked at Link. "Seems you got the help you needed. Might I ask what it was that happened to you?" Link looked down at the floor, not wanting to speak. "Well, if it's a bit difficult to explain I won't press you. What about your friend?" Link looked up and nodded. "She's all right." Telma winked. "Oh, a she was it? My, aren't you the ladies man!" Link groaned. "Please, don't mention that to me… I was just chased around town by three girls hardly three years more than half my age…"

Telma laughed. "You're just too irresistible, honey! Why don't you go see my friends in the back? Hey, everyone! Introduce yourselves! This handsome young man is the infamous Link! And his friends, of course." She turned back to them. "Sora, Donald and Goofy, wasn't it? Well, these are those friends I mentioned, the ones who are trying to help deal with all the trouble in Hyrule. Actually, there's one more of us… but there's been a disturbing turn of events in the western desert, so he's gone to check it out. He's an older man named Auru. If you happen to meet him, definitely take the time to talk with him, okay honey?"

Sora leaned on the counter. "Sure. We'll keep that in mind. Right now we're gonna just go get acquainted and all that, okay?" Telma nodded. "You do that, loves!"

So they walked over to the table and learned the location of Auru.

The first man they spoke to had soft auburn hair and wore a pair of rounded spectacles. "Oh, hello there!" he said. His voice was soft and light, as if it were only used after a long period of thought. "You must be Link, Sora, Donald, and… Goofy, correct?" They all nodded softly. He smiled. "I'm Shad. Wonderful to meet you. Telma told me all you've been up to. You're rather formidable! I'm rather NOT, I'm afraid."

Goofy folded his arms. "Why not?" Shad chuckled softly, his eyes flickering to the floor. "Well, I'm formidable at book reading, but I lack, shall we say, physical skills." Sora smiled. "It doesn't matter. Not all of us are gifted physically, right? We have our own talents."

"You're certainly right," Shad replied, "That said, if the history and legends of Hyrule are your cup of tea, I'm your fellow! If you're curious, just ask away." And that was the end of that. The only woman of the group was slender, covered in armor, had a sharp face and jet-black hair pulled into a pair of ponytails slung over her shoulders.

"… I'm Ashei," she said when they greeted her, "I grew up in the mountains with my father, who was a knight in his own right. He taught me the arts of war as though I was his son."

Sora grinned, assuming a casual pose. "Sounds pretty cool." Ashei shrugged. "I suppose. Of course, lessons in common courtesy were not part of the regimen, so forgive me if I come off as rude, yeah?" Sora nodded. "Sure. Donald says I come off the same way sometimes, but I don't see it." Donald kicked him in the shin, which he ignored.

"Listen," she said quickly, "before I blab all of your ears off, I want to tell you something. Snowpeak, the mountain to the north of Hyrule… It's unlike any mountain I've ever known. I don't know much yet, but things happen there that happen on no other mountain I know of. As soon as I know something more, I'll tell you. Until then, you should stay away, yeah?"

They all nodded. Though the words ran off her tongue carelessly like a dying reprimand, they trusted Ashei, and so they also trusted her judgment.

The final man was silent, but after a few moments, gave a chuckle and said, "It has been a long time…"

Link gasped. "Rusl! Is that you…?"

"Yes," Rusl said, taking off his helmet, "It's me. My wife, Uli, sent word to me. I have seen the children in Kakariko Village! And, of course, I have also heard of your adventures!" Rusl gave a soft smile and ruffled a tuft of Link's hair like a father would a child. "I'm proud of you, just so you know. I must also thank you for your help with Colin, Link. I barely recognized him… In any case, I am troubled by my own inaction. I want to help the cause. These friends here… I have had a connection with them for a long while. Like the others, I am gathering information now. I will let you know if I hear anything."

After this he put his helmet on and they walked to Demyx's table. "You coming?" Demyx looked up sharply, apparently having been in the middle of a light nap. Once the question registered he flashed a smile, and they exited the bar, dodging the one girl on guard and heading through the south gate.

Sora and Link walked towards the Golden Wolf with their weapons drawn, and were once again transported to the world of endless fog and mist.

The Hero's Shade stood there proud and tall, a rather large sword in his hand.

"We meet again." he said simply. Link's ears twitched. The voice now sounded familiar, as if he'd known it all his life. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why. "This next is the greatest of the hidden skills I have taught you to this point, and it may test the limits of your endurance…"

Link's grip on the Master Sword tightened slightly. Test or no test, the Master Sword would lend him strength.

"Do you still wish to master it?" Link nodded sharply. "Of course!"

"Very well, but before we begin, I must test you to ensure you have mastered the last skill I taught you, the back slice." The Hero's Shade readied himself, as did Link. Link preformed the slice with little to no trouble.

"Excellent, it appears you are certainly capable of learning my lost art. Very well… my fourth hidden skill is… the helm splitter! Let it be hewn into your mind!" Link nodded attentively. "It is impossible to circle around and perform a back slice against fully armored enemies that move swiftly in combat. Against such foes, you must first use a shield attack to make them flinch, but then quickly jump over them and slash across them with your sword!"

Link gulped. He had to jump over the warrior?

Sora touched his shoulder. "It's easy. Just don't think about it, remember? Let it come to you." Link nodded and silently thanked him for his reminder. Then he stood still and awaited to command to start.

"You will leap into the air over the enemy's head and greet them with your blade by immediately striking from behind. This is the helm splitter! Show it to me! They hit blades and Link rushed forward, thrusting his shield against his mentor. Then, without thinking, he leapt right over the warrior and spun around quickly to cut him down with the Master Sword.

The Hero's Shade got up a moment later.

"Hmm. Impressive. Do not miss your chance to land a helm splitter on an opponent after your shield attack! The fourth hidden skill, the helm splitter, has been passed on! Now, there are still three hidden skills for you to learn. Do not neglect your daily sword training between now and the time you come to learn the next skill!"

Link stepped back and let Sora take his place.

"Keyblade master, do you wish to learn the next skill assigned to you?" Sora nodded. "Sure, let's do this!" The Hero's Shade summoned his own keyblade and began to explain the next skill.

"Your next spell combo to learn will be… the Firaga Impact! Let it be hewn into your mind! Firaga Impact is much like the stun impact you have learned in the past, but combines the element of fire to incinerate enemies that are overwhelming you with great size or numbers! This is the Firaga Impact, show it to me!

Sora remembered the stun impact. He held the keyblade up in the air as several Shade copies surrounded him. Power surrounded it, and flames began a to dance in shreds around the handle. Sora brought the keyblade down to his chest, and jumped, sending it into the ground, a shockwave dome of fire surrounded Sora and the Shades, and when it was finished, only Sora and a single shade were left standing. Sora stood back, staring at the keyblade with this goofy look on his face.

"Hmm. Impressive. This type of attack is usually better for multiple ice enemies, but can be used otherwise, except in areas where it could potentially be problematic. The spell combo, Firaga Impact, has been passed on!"

Sora, once again, twirled his Keyblade around in his signature victory pose, and Link sheathed his sword. The Hero's Shade nodded to them.

"Until we meet again," said the warrior.

And they found themselves lying face down on the grass, looking up at the orange sky. Sora sat up first and looked around. The sun was setting. "We need to move, Link. The sun's about to set." Link groaned as he sat up. "Man, do I need a dip in a Hot Spring… wait, did you say the sun was setting?" Link glanced up at the sky calmly. "Midna, we need to warp to the lake."

Midna looked around, obviously annoyed by something. "Your friends are – oh!"

Link whipped around, his eyes following the direction of her line of sight, and came to rest on a very flat Donald, a surprised Goofy (who was on top of the flat Donald), and a clueless Demyx staring down at them from the top of the ledge. "Seriously," he said, rubbing his chin as he watched the scene, "I don't know what came over him. Something about a shiny flying something-or-other…" Sora laughed. "That's Donald all right. Can we warp to the lake now?" Demyx jumped down, careful not to land on Donald or Goofy, and Midna floated around so that Link could see her.

"And I thought I had trouble with shiny stuff…" Demyx mumbled softly. Midna just rolled her eyes.

"All right. Time to see if I can warp everyone, right?" Sora took Link's left arm and held it tight. "What?" he asked, "You've warped before." Sora half-glared at him. "Not while I was still human I haven't."

"Oh."

.oOo.

Demyx flipped his otter tail slowly, examining it softly. "Was that supposed to happen?" Midna snapped her fingers and suddenly he was human again, black cloak and all.

"Well, duh. You can't portal as a human. It's just not done, unless you've been touched by twilight. And that only happens if you use twilight magic, which… you don't. So, yeah, it was supposed to happen." Sora shook his head as he tried to rid himself of the feeling he always got from portalling like that.

_It's not like portalling through darkness, which is sort of smooth and smothering… it's all sharp and sensory. I'm like magically blind sighted._

Roxas chuckled, sprawling across a mental bed in his soul room. _Well, what do you expect? Different magic, different feeling. I'd think it would be quite simple to understand._

Sora mentally looked down at him and glared, but gave him a quick kiss on the lips before returning to reality.

"Hey, c'mon, the sun's about to set. We gotta hurry and find this guy." Goofy wiped some sleep from his eyes. "Yeah, and after we're done getting to that there desert, we need a rest. Something nice and long, yep." Donald nodded. "But we got business to finish! I think that tower over there is the location we need."

So they walked to the tower, (Link pausing on the way there to howl using the Howling Stone) with only Sora and Link climbing up the long ladder, which revealed a tall older man with gray, receding hair.

"I thought it was about time you arrived…" he said absentmindedly, holding up a pair of binoculars to his eyes to gaze at the strangely shaped turrets in the distance. He turned around. "Masters Link… and Sora, isn't it? Aren't there more of you?" Sora gestured with a flick of his head behind him. "They're down there. Not enough room up here." The older man smiled softly. "I understand. So, you know Telma, do you? I am Auru. I am part of the group that Telma kindly allows to meet at her bar."

Sora linked his fingers behind his head, resting them against the back of his neck. "Yeah we kind of figured."

Auru chuckled. "Telma has also told me of your great deeds." Link spluttered. "Really, they're nothing…" Auru held up a hand to signal he was all right with it. "Now… with you being a group of courageous youths… You have likely heard of the strange events in the desert and come to investigate, no?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, we have." The man looked behind him to the strange turret shapes sticking up from the sand. "The Gerudo Desert once held a prison built to hold the worst criminals this land has ever known… The criminals who were sentenced to death were sent directly to the underworld by a cursed mirror that was kept in the prison…"

Sora and Link exchanged glances. Was this the Mirror of Twilight?

"Now that prison is condemned, and even the road leading to the desert is impassable. This desert at world's end… It still holds the cursed mirror and the malice of the doomed inmates… These old bones know that the evil currently plaguing Hyrule is related to this wicked place. So I have come to learn the truth… Masters Link and Sora… I must ask, what will you do now?"

Roxas nudged Sora's mind softly. _It seems strange how we seem to stumble upon answers like this, as if we were puppets on a string… but this is a good – if not strange – lead to where we need to go…_

Link casually replied, "We would like to investigate your theory… but up close and personal. Is there any way we could get to the desert properly?"

Auru looked surprised. "You would actually go to confirm my suspicions with your own eyes? Ah, well… Then let good old Auru help you out… You see Lake Hylia below us? A man named Fyer runs an amusement ride of sorts there. Give him this."

Auru handed Link a memo for Fyer.

"See, long ago, I saved this man Fyer's life, and now he cannot refuse me if I ask a favor. If you leave the rest up to Fyer, all should go well."

So they quickly made their way to Fyer's place and showed him the memo.

"Hrrrm… From old Auru, huh… Ah well, I guess I oughta do what the old coot says… Oasis flight… right? So here you go, one of our secret options not available to the general public… This time's all paid for… so whaddaya say? You wanna go?"

Sora nodded quickly. "Yeah, why else would we bring this to you?" Fyer rolled his eyes. "All right, all right… but remember, next time, you gotta pay!"

Demyx laughed and then muttered, "I wouldn't count on it…"

"Okay!' Fyer said, grinning, apparently not having heard Demyx's comment, "Sweet sailing my buddies! Five for oasis… fire in the hole!"

They all boarded the canon and this time, Link was actually screaming with joy. Midna laughed too, silently, as she watched the happiness on Link's beautiful face.

They landed rather abruptly, with Donald going headfirst into the sand, Goofy landing on Donald, and Demyx sprawled on his back, to the right of Sora, grinning widely. Sora and landed square on his buttocks, but was generally unhurt, and Link was the only one who had managed to land on his feet. Currently, he was in a crouch, slowly standing up to look at his surroundings.

The setting sun was what did it. The desert was beautiful. The sweeping sands and endless dust and wind spun about to create something words failed to describe the completeness of its beauty. Link breathed out a sigh of awe.

Midna floated beside him, contemplating speaking. She too, saw the beauty of it all, but she wondered vaguely if she deserved to be here to see it. She wondered if she deserved to be standing (floating, rather) next to a man who was nothing short of an angel. She remembered when she called him her servant. If she weren't so depressed, it might have actually been funny.

Donald and Goofy were currently fighting amongst themselves (more Donald, really, than Goofy) and Sora was trying to break it up. Demyx was standing off to the side, watching with a wry grin on his face. Link made to go after them, but Midna said softly, "Wait, Link." So he did. He turned around to her and was surprised to find her a little down. "What's wrong?" he found himself asking her. She looked up. "N-Nothing. There's just something I think you need to hear."

Link's eyes searched her face. She was lying about whatever it was that was wrong; he could hear the lie in her tone of voice. But he didn't press her. "… Do you remember what the spirit said about the Fused Shadows?" Link scoffed.

"How could I not? That vision probably traumatized me for life…" Midna fought the urge to smile. "What do you think happened to the magic wielders who tried to rule the Sacred Realm?" Link had never actually thought about it; perhaps he hadn't wanted to. "They were banished," she continued, "They were chased across the sacred lands of Hyrule and driven into another realm by the goddesses." Link suddenly felt pained by Midna's faraway expression. She looked tortured.

"It was another world entirely… The antithesis of Hyrule, where the sun shines bright. Its denizens became shadows that could not mingle with the light. Eventually, most came to call it the Twilight Realm, and from it, none could return to the world of light… They were forever doomed to live in the twilight, flitting in the half-light of dusk, mere shadows of Hyrule… This is the history of the Twili as it has been passed down from our ancestors…"

There was silence for one moment as Link lost himself in her words.

"Do you now understand what I am?" She gave a cry of desperation that made Link stand back in surprise. "I'm a descendant of the tribe that was banished to the Twilight Realm!" she snapped. "M-Midna…" Link gasped quietly.

Midna's head snapped up, seeing the creeping terror in his eyes.

"I'm sorry…" she said in a softer tone, looking away. Link knelt down next to her and stroked her face gently. "It's all right. Just continue." Her shoulders drooped slightly as she did so.

"It was a peaceful place… until Zant took control of the Twilight Realm and transformed all of the Twili into shadow beasts. It's clear to me now that he somehow gained a great evil power previously unknown to our tribe… In any case, I was sent from there, and could no longer get into the Twilight Realm without his power."

Her face pinched as she tried to remember more.

"… but there's another tale told by my people. Though the goddesses forbade us to return to the world of light, they left one link between the light and the darkness. Something called the Mirror of Twilight was passed to the protectors of Hyrule… It's our only path to the Twilight Realm… and we must get there!"

Link paused in his stroking as she chattered on passionately about the Mirror. It wasn't until she reached out to lay a hand on his cheek and said, "You'll come with me, won't you?" that his hand fell to the ground completely. His cheeks burned, and there was no shade to hide it. Slowly, he touched his left hand to her right and he relished in the coolness of her skin. How it crackled with power. Finally his eyes locked with hers, and he flashed her a slight smile.

Midna beamed. "Sure I will," he whispered quietly. And she disappeared beneath his shadow, this time without him thinking exactly what she saw down there…

"Hey guys," he shouted, standing up, "shouldn't we be going?"

It was much, much later, after they had found a new warp point and fixed the bridge of Eldin that they came to a small Moblin camp just outside the walls of the prison that Auru had pointed out.

And waiting for them, sitting by the fire, was one red-haired pyromaniac that they all knew quite well.

* * *

Gah! This took me ages… but, it's done, just in time for… me to be late, ugh. I hate being sick. Wish me some get wells, would you please? I don't know if I'll be able to update Friday like I usually do, but I'll sure try, okies? (Note I actually wrote this before I posted chapter eight, so… yeah.)

So, Demyx goes away (sniff… I was getting used to him again) and we get to see Axel fighting with Sora! It's wicked cool, man, I swear.


	14. Arbiter's Grounds

Chapter Fourteen: Arbiter's Grounds

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 14

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If all this were mine, Axel would curse more. :D That one line in Chain of Memories doesn't do him justice.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows? Now rated M for Axel's language. You've been warned. :)

**Author's Notes-**

Okay, kiddies, do not repeat anything that Axel says in this chapter. Say it with me; twice. DON'T DO IT! And I still hate temple chapters, by the way. I hope this doesn't take me forever, otherwise I won't be able to post… well, I won't be able to write anyway… it's taking me like two weeks to write one chapter… gah. Gotta love that homework, huh?

Eek! Yes! helmers10 updated his Twilight Princess walkthrough! (I'm kind of sort of using it to help me write this it helps to have visual reminders of the game when I write, if I'm writing for a game) so now I can write up to Snowpeak without having to go blind on this one! (Hopefully he updates before I finish the Snowpeak chapter… but, that's not likely. Ugh.)

Oh, and here's the Genie summon one reviewer requested. I don't think there will be any more, but I'll try to see if I can get Stitch in there. :D

* * *

"So, are we going now?" Sora asked.

Axel shook his head sharply. "No. Not in the desert. Believe me, you learn that after being here for a day or so. And the sandstorms, they get worse at night because you can't see shit if you're caught in one. So, yeah, going out at night; big no-no."

Sora, Link, Donald and Goofy were sitting in the deserted Moblin camp (courtesy of Axel) around a small fire. Demyx was long gone, off on another mission of Zexion's. They didn't know that this was the same fire Lexaeus had slept by, and Saïx had sat next to, but what they didn't know couldn't hurt them, or at least meaningless trivia such as that. Axel looked up, squinting at the distance.

"Hmm. Looks like we've got trouble." He stood up, leaning forward, still staring off to the southeast. There was a rustling of dust that caught in the moonlight, and that was what he was staring at.

But that wasn't the problem. It was moving far too fast for a normal storm.

And far too powerful. It could kill them if they didn't find shelter, fast. What's worse, it was moving _towards_ them. "Damn," Axel cursed, "you wouldn't happen to have any Tents with you, huh?" Sora dug through their pack and found three. "Sorry, that's all we have…" He muttered something about a Moogle that Axel couldn't catch. Axel snatched up one and tossed it to Link.

"Set it up and get inside. We don't want to get smothered from the sandstorm headed our way." He tossed a second one to Donald and Goofy. "You two'll have to share. Sora, you're with me. C'mon, let's get moving."

They set the tents up in the nick of time; the sandstorm hit their small camp fiercely, battering against the wooden structures and scaring the boars nearby. The fire was toast (A/N: Walked right into that one… XD) and Axel soon feared that if the storm didn't let up, they'd be toast right along with it.

"Kid!" He turned to Sora. "This must be Lexaeus's doing. He's the one who got sent to the Arbiter's Grounds, you know, that prison back there… his element's earth. He can't get me during the day because of the heat, but in the night we're all fair game. Do you have anything that can quell this storm?" Sora thought, real hard. "Maybe Genie can do it… but I don't have enough room to summon in here… I'd have to go outside."

Axel frowned. "You won't last, kid." He sighed. "We'll just have to wait until morning and hope we're not too battered by then." Sora shook his head fiercely. "No Axel, I'm going out there. We won't last much longer if this keeps up, and I've kind of got a debt to pay with you."

With that, Sora got up and left, headed straight for the center of the remains of the camp. Axel face-palmed himself. "Dammit, kid…"

Sora held part of his surcoat up against his face so he could breathe, but that was getting harder and harder by the second… he had to make that summon soon.

With great difficulty, he grasped the bright blue orb that was Genie's summon gem and cried:

_Give me strength!_

But… that was as far as he got. Genie came, sparkles and lights and all, the magic of his presence allowing Sora to breathe for a few precious moments.

"Hey, Sora? What's with the sandstorm? It's kinda hittin' real hard…" Genie floated around him, worried as he examined the breathless Sora. "You didn't actually go out in this just to summon me, didja?"

"Couldn't… summon… in tent…" Sora wheezed, "… need you to… stop the storm…" Genie laughed uproariously. "Is that all? Well, then that's a piece of cake!" He pushed back some imaginary sleeves, and then waved both of his hands outward, spinning around.

"One for the money," he began. Sora knelt in the sand, coughing. "Two for the show…" Sora gasped for air, the sand beginning to crush him once again. Roxas was banging on the walls of his soul, fearing for his life. _Sora! Sora! Get to the tent, you idiot!_ "Genie…" Sora whispered softly, his vision beginning to black out in spots.

"Three to get ready…" Sora collapsed against the fibers of the burnt wood, the warmth bringing him back only slightly. He could feel hands grasping him and he heard himself cry out, "Genie! Hurry…" before the battering stopped and he knew he was safe.

"And four to go!"

Genie sent away the storm like it was nothing, but when it faded, there was no Sora. "Sora? Hey buddy, you're not playing games with me now are ya?"

"No," said a voice, which belonged to none other than Roxas, "He's in here. He's safe. You can return now, if you like." Genie blinked. Wasn't the Organization the bad guys here? Man, he really needed to keep up with the times. But if Sora was safe, he was safe, so he returned back to his dormant summon form with a blue poof, re-lighting the fire as he went.

Meanwhile…

Axel just stared at Roxas as he tenderly held Sora's left hand in his own, and stroked his hair with his right, his knuckles brushing against his sand crusted locks. Roxas frowned. "You wouldn't happen to have any water with you, would you?" He asked. Axel blinked and slapped himself out of the trance.

"I think so. You want to wash that hair of his? Better do it now than later, otherwise it's gonna be a pain to get it out." Roxas just stared, waiting. Axel sighed, handing him his spare canteen.

"I know you're jealous, Axel." Axel blinked. "Jealous? No, not really." Roxas snorted. "And I thought you'd only refused that we couldn't feel…" Axel shook his head. "No. It's happening to all of us, Rox. Even Saïx. Poor guy's torn to pieces over Xemnas. I think he's developing like a split personality or something…" Axel grinned.

Roxas laughed, the sand flowing freely from Sora's hair. He kneaded the water gently into his scalp, wishing he had some soap to make it smell just a tad better. But… at least it was getting clean.

"So… you're not jealous." Axel shook his head. "Nah, man. You're my best friend, but not one with benefits if you know what I mean." He grinned. "It's nice to see you actually smiling again, for once." He noticed the smile playing on Roxas's lips as he ran his fingers through Sora's hair, but that quickly disappeared and his face lit up with red. Axel tried his hardest not to laugh out loud. "So, where'd you come from? I mean, you weren't exactly with Sora when he first came to me."

Roxas frowned. "It's fuzzy. I'm slowly becoming a separate consciousness again, but it's taking its sweet time. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to stay separate from him in about a week or so, but… well, you know me, huh?" Axel grinned. "Nah. You two are meant to be together. I can see it." Axel winked.

"Just don't forget to use protection when you get finally get around to 'it' you know?" He linked his fingers behind his head and lay back on his pallet.

Roxas promptly proceeded to choke on his own spit and groan.

"God, Axel… get your mind out of the gutter…" Axel chuckled. "It was going that way anyway… if I weren't here, you'd be at it like bunnies, trust me." Roxas sighed.

"Somehow, I doubt that…" Axel shook his head and turned down the oil lamp so he could sleep.

.oOo.

"So you're telling me that the golden wolf you went up against is the spirit of some dead hero that's teaching you things?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, that about sums it up pretty good."

Axel whistled softly. "Well damn. Sounds cool. So is he like… still fleshy when you see him?" Sora face-palmed his forehead. "It's not like that, man…"

"So he's a skeleton with armor, huh? Sweet. What did you learn this time?"

Sora thought for a moment. "A defensive spell. It's like Reflega but I can use it so other people don't get hurt. I think he called it… Reflega Break or something like that. Link learned the Mortal Draw. If he stands real still, he can kill enemies in one hit if they get close enough."

Axel nodded as they walked up to the gates of the Moblin Base. "Good, good." He squinted.

"Crap. We've got a welcoming committee." He looked closer, and then he grinned. "Pity we're the ones who'll be doing the welcoming." Sora spotted a Moblin high on a ledge, poised and ready to shoot a flaming arrow. He looked behind him to see Link, Donald, and Goofy bringing up the rear. Axel nudged Sora. "Hey, don't miss the fireworks!"

He held out a hand, and for a moment, Sora thought he was going to summon one of his chakrams, but they never came. Instead, the flame at the tip of the Moblin's arrow, which was poised in the nook of its bow, started to spark. Then it sparked faster and faster, like an actual firework, and then…

It blew up; right in the Moblin's face.

Sora couldn't help but laugh. This, however, alerted others to their presence, and Axel could feel it. "Let's go show them who's boss, huh?" Axel said, grinning, flexing his hands and summoning his chakrams.

Sora grinned. "Hell yeah." Axel winked. "Oh, and if you see any Assassins, those are my guys, so don't hurt 'em. Unless they hurt you first an then by all means, send 'em off." Everyone ran headfirst into the compound, swinging and basically destroying everything in their paths. (A/N: Minigame? XD I dunno. Destroying stuff is always a plus, though.)

Sora finished off the last of the Air Pirates when one of them dropped a key. He picked it up, handing it to Link. "Where do you think it goes?" Link flicked his head toward the locked gate, a wry grin on his face. "You don't think it has anything to do with that gate, do you?"

He opened it and went through, but it closed immediately upon his entering it, not letting anyone through. Axel tapped the wood with his right chakram, testing it. "Sorry, kid, no can do. There's a magic on this even I can't burn through." Axel leaned in close. "What's that sound?" Sora put his ear against the wood, hearing a squeal, like a pig.

"Um, what's that smell?" Goofy asked, standing next to Donald, far away from the building and the two pressed up against the wood.

Axel sniffed, testing the air. "Um… something's burning. It's no big deal."

Then he realized what he just said. He looked at Sora. Sora looked at Axel. They blinked. Then, before either of them could yell out, "RUN!" a wild, squealing boar blasted through the wooden gate and several of the gates after it, leaving Sora and Axel on the sand, covered in chips of wood and with stars dancing around their heads. (A/N: Disney style! :D)

"Hey Axel?" Sora asked still in a daze. "What?"

WHACK!

Axel whimpered.

He was pouting (rather cutely) at Sora and limping the whole way back to Link, who was just now getting his head out of the sand. "Man, that was weird…" he said, shaking his hair in a very dog-like manner to get most of the sand out. Axel, who had regained some of the feeling between his legs, strode over to him as best he could.

"Hey, do you think you could get back at Sora for me?" Link raised an eyebrow. "What'd he do?" Axel whispered something into his ear. Link had to refrain from bursting into laughter. "Sure… I'll find a way."

(insert side fic for first reviewer of this chapter)

They entered the Arbiter's Grounds soon after.

"Wow…" Donald gasped, amazed, "that's a lot of sand." Axel's eye twitched. "Be careful in it. It's quicksand. When I was exploring the temple the first time, I learned that the hard way. Oh, and don't fall in those holes either. I don't know where they go, or if they go anywhere at all, so avoid them. Period. And – god dammit!"

A small Moldorm, several of them actually, had jumped out of the sand and attached themselves to Axel's right leg. Blasting them with fire, they fell off into the sand, their dead carcasses falling into the dark oblivion.

Sora giggled. Axel grumbled, "Yeah, watch out for them, too. Nasty little fuckers."

They made their way through the next set of rooms ("You conveniently forgot to mention the Mini-Skeletons, Axel," Sora complained) also encountering several bugs, to which Link just stood there, stock still, until Axel fried them off. "I'm gonna have nightmares for the rest of my life…" Axel put his arm around Link. "Look, whenever that happens, just spin 'em off, they'll die on impact."

(A/N: I hated those bugs… ugh.)

The strangest thing of all was when they entered the large, blue room with four blue flames, four lanterns came from the huge door at the end of the room and took the flames, closing the door.

"Why do I get the feeling of déjà vu when I see this?" Link asked, though more to himself than anyone else.

Three of the lanterns floated away, but one stayed in the middle. Link tilted his head. "I think it's a Poe… Midna, if you would transform us please." So she did. Axel took a good look at himself. He seemed to be a russet colored leopard with black spots. "Ooh, this I like. Pity I can't use my chakrams, though…" He blinked, and then looked up.

"Crap! What the fuck is that?"

Link stared at it, the Poe's ghoulish moans sending shivers down his spine. "I'm pretty sure it's a Poe… let me show to how to kill these things…" He walked up to it, gingerly, and the Poe glowed bright blue. "Get it!" Midna urged. Link pounced, chomping on the thing for all he was worth. It threw him off, and it glowed bright blue again. Link assumed that he could only attack it if it turned bright blue, so he proceeded to chomp the undead's lights out (that is, if it lights to chomp).

Then he pried the piece of the soul away from it, trying to rid himself of the nasty taste. "Ugh! I hate how Poe Souls taste… ugh. It's disgusting!" Axel took a sniff from the Poe's remains. "I'll tell you what's disgusting… that smell! Sheesh! Don't these things bathe?"

Sora nudged him. "They're undead. I don't think they could even if they wanted to." Axel frowned. "Good point." He looked up at one of the torches. "I take it with each flame we get back, another torch lights. Okay. I can deal with that."

Link sniffed the purple scent cloud, and memorized the scent.

He searched the room with the eyes, and they came to rest on a small pile of dirt. "There!" he said softly, "A Poe went through there!" Axel shrugged. "Okay, you go dig in the dirt while I go explore the room. Deal?" And so he scampered off. Link was, needless to say, slightly perplexed. "Is he always like that?" Sora shrugged. "I've never really worked with the Organization like this before, so I don't know."

_Actually, this isn't so bad. Just don't let him near any explosives._

Sora's ears twitched as he watched Link dig through the dirt to find a chain. _Really? Why?_ He could practically see Roxas's mental wince. _You don't want to know…_

So Sora wisely kept his mouth shut.

Link pulled on the chain, and a set of stairs appeared right under Goofy's feet. His shell comically bounced down on each step until he got to the bottom. Link and Sora looked down the stairs. "You okay, Goofy?" Sora asked, trying to hide his laughter. "Yeah!" Goofy replied, coming out of his shell, looking around, "And there's a door here, too!"

Axel came back a few moments later, human, and with a roll of parchment in his hands. "Hey Sora? I think I found the map." Sora looked up at him. "Hey, why're you human?" Axel shrugged. "Something to do with animals being unable to open chests, I don't know. Don't really care either."

Sora shrugged and they all became human again as Midna transformed them back. "Yeah," she said, agreeing with Axel, "it's just something funny that happens." She flashed him a mischievous grin. He flashed one back.

Sora made the connection and quickly took the map from Axel's hands.

"Okay, why don't we go down the stairs first? After all, Link found them." Donald interjected. Sora shrugged. His eyes quickly caught Axel staring after the other door just past the stairs, but grasped the Nobody's arm quickly and drug him down the stairs with the rest of them.

.oOo.

Zexion touched the tattered remains of the camp tents. "They were here," he said to Demyx, "but they're all right. Their scents are still strong. Axel's with them, too I think."

Demyx flipped his hood over his head, though he wasn't sure if he should've, seeing as the sun was beating down so hot, and he was sweating up a storm. "Zexion? Can we go? I'm… I'm really hot. My element is water; I'm not meant for these kinds of conditions…" Zexion stood up and walked over to Demyx.

He gingerly touched his face, feeling the rivulets of sweat beading down the _Nocturne's_ face.

"There now. Why don't you go check out Snowpeak like I asked, huh? It's cold there." He grinned smoothly, kissing Demyx gently on the lips. The water musician blissfully let Zexion's tongue through and they danced, their 'hearts' racing.

"Well now, what do we have here?"

Zexion's eyes snapped open. He broke away from Demyx and stood in a protective stance in front of him, his left hand, which clutched his lexicon, held it tighter, as if preparing for a battle. He knew the voice that had spoken far too well, and was not surprised to find Lexaeus standing by the remains of the fire, his tomahawk in his hand. Zexion knew that if he was going to fight, it wasn't going to end well.

For him, that is.

"Lexaeus," he said quietly, "to what do I owe the pleasure of your audience?" Lexaeus's stony expression remained unchanged. "You owe me nothing. As for pleasure…" A lump caught in Zexion's throat. Gods no… he wasn't implying what he thought he was implying, was he?

"… you've ruined my admiration for you on that front."

"I wasn't referring to that," Zexion spat softly. Lexaeus simply stood there, his eyes closed. "Really, now? It's not your choice of whom you've chosen to please that's ruined you, _Cloaked Schemer_, it's what you've done. As one of the Organization, you were strong." Zexion wanted to snarl, but he figured it would only make things worse. The longer he could keep making small talk, the better.

"I still am, _Silent Hero_." He said, folding his arms, "Speaking of which, I've never heard you say so much in one sitting, my friend. Whatever is the matter?" Lexaeus opened his eyes. "You. I used to follow you, Zexion. I did everything for you. But now that you've thrown it all away, you're not worthy anymore. You're weak." It was only now that he assumed his battle pose.

"And you of all people should know how I can't _stand_ the weak!"

Zexion took a step back, alarm bells ringing. Now he was panicking. He quickly turned to Demyx. "Demyx, run! Go to Snowpeak! The Grove! Anywhere but here-ah!"

Zexion fell to the ground, down but not out. He was still breathing. However, when Lexaeus stood to look for Demyx, he was gone.

.oOo.

Sora tilted his head, staring at the torches. "Which ones do we light? I mean, I doubt we have to light them all…"

Link transformed into wolf form and used his senses to see which torches were the correct ones. Once transformed back into a human, he pointed to the torches. "The first one, right here, and the one on the far left." Axel snapped his fingers and they lit, instantly, the door to their left opening up, shaking loose more dust.

"Got it covered. Anything else?" Sora checked the map. "No that looks to be it. Let's go."

It was another Poe room. Axel could tell because of the blue tint to everything, the clinking of the lantern nearby, and of course, the cold chill that the Poes seemed to practically have waiting on them like a servant. Using their animal senses, they found the Poe quickly, masquerading itself (rather poorly) as one of the regular lanterns on the wall.

It began to split into four, and these four circled the five of them, but Axel always trusted numbers more than power, and they were easily able to pinpoint which was the true ghost whenever they glowed bright blue.

Link took the Soul, and they proceeded to take the door to the north.

It was the chandelier room from before, but this time all they had to do was hop over (Axel teased Link playfully about being a chicken for using the Clawshot instead of jumping himself, but was quickly forgiven) and entered the main Poe room.

They looked up at the flames, the last and final one rejoining its place up at the top of the wall, opening the metal gate for then at last.

The following chamber's door had the boss door right in front of them, and the boss key to their left, but it was out of their reach. "Why don't you just use your key, Sora?" Axel asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Sora pointed to the wall. "Umm, first thing, there's a wall in front of the lock. Unless you've somehow figured out how to go through walls, yeah, good luck with that. Two, there's this strange indent in the floor (which Sora _assumed_ could turn the wall for them, but he wasn't sure) and three; the key's too far to jump. I could use magic, but…"

Axel looked towards the key. "Feels like there's some kind of barrier. It's a one-way kind, you can go through it coming out, but you can't go back, and vise versa. Blast it." Goofy shrugged. "Nothing to do but press on." He said, scratching his head.

So, to the right they went.

Into… a huge cylindrical room. Axel looked down. "Wow. That's… cool. He grinned. Sora pulled him back. "We don't know if that's what we have to do here, anyways." He took a quick look at the map. Well, there's and exit to the south… and we're in the west…" Link looked down.

"Seems like we have to go down there anyway. Come on." He jumped down dragging Axel with him. When Sora, Donald, and Goofy arrived at the bottom, Link was pushing the wedge in the middle of the room and Axel was making a new friend. Sora tilted his head. "You've made friends with a flying skull, Axel." Axel grinned, petting it. "But it's on fire, Sora! And I think it likes me." He mulled over the topic for a moment and got this strange look on his face.

"Hey, I know! I'll name it Roxas!"

Roxas groaned. _He did NOT just name a flaming skull after me… _Sora mentally giggled. _I think he likes you._ Roxas chuckled at that one. _Nah. We're good friends, but not like that. _Sora could feel Roxas hug his spirit tightly. _You're my one and only, remember?_ Sora couldn't help but smile.

_Thanks, Roxas. _ There was a pause for a moment or so.

Still, he named a flaming SKULL after me. That is so not cool…

Sora couldn't help a grin. "Something he said?" Axel asked him quietly. Sora knew what he was talking about. "Yeah. He says he likes that you named it after him."

I DO NOT!

Sora winced. "Okay… so maybe he doesn't." Axel chuckled. "Gah!" Link cried, after coming upon a locked door at the bottom. "It's locked." Sora's head swiveled around and he grinned. "Okay, I'm on it!" He scampered to unlock it as Link stood next to Axel, sighing. "You think I'd be used to this by now," he muttered. Axel looked to Link, a sly grin playing at his lips.

"Say, what's the deal with you and the locks?" Link rolled his eyes. "Sora and I made an agreement with each other in the very first temple that if I didn't have a small key when we came to a locked door – except the boss door – he could unlock it. After all this time, though, it still gets to me."

Axel grinned. "All's fair in love and war, I suppose."

Link just rolled his eyes and face-palmed his forehead.

The next room was full of quicksand, holes, and was far too quiet. Sora frowned. "Let's go beast for this one. I don't like the looks of this." Everyone could agree. When they turned on their senses, they could see several undead rats scurrying about further on, and they'd be a problem for the adventurers if they got on them.

So the made it through the room with only the slightest difficulty ("Okay, now I really hate mummies," Axel muttered. Link nudged his side. "It's actually a Gibdo." Axel's left eye twitched. "I don't care! It's neither dead nor alive and it's covered in bandages! It's a fucking mummy!") and eventually they were able to make it to the other side of the sliding door unscathed.

They made their way through the quicksand hallways, careful not to touch the spinning spike things on the sides, encountering more bugs (Link did as Axel told him to, and as a wolf it wasn't as bad as it was in human form – really it was just itchy, hardly creepy at all – although Axel did mutter something along the lines of, "Speak for yourself, mutt…") and eventually, Ooccoo.

"Um," Axel drawled, "it that a chicken with a human head? And how in the hell did that happen?" Sora shrugged. "We're not sure exactly what she is, we just know that it's a she. Oh, and she has a son… I think. I've never actually seen him…"

Axel just sighed as they went through the next door. "This is one weird-ass world, believe me."

Sora chuckled. "Tell me about it."

They practically had to run around the next room in circles before they could figure out where to go (eventually Axel got bored of running and sat on top of the spinning spike thing and just watched them run) and eventually they destroyed all three Stalfos in the open room ahead. They had to go back into the spinning spike room to get up to the platform that went around to the next exit (this time, Link just Clawshot past the bugs, leaving everyone else to run like made across the sand to avoid them).

The next room was dark. Very dark. And also tinted with blue. But it didn't have that Poe feel to it, Axel felt, but it was something else entirely… maybe it had something to do with the fact that there was a rather large sword stuck in the ground that was tied with some strangely marked ropes.

Axel touched one of the cards softly, and his eyes widened. "It's been spelled. These… ropes are holding down some sort of powerful spirit." He stood up straight again and turned to everyone else.

"Sorry," he said, shrugging, "this isn't my area of expertise."

Link walked closer to it, exchanging places with Axel, who stood behind him next to Sora, Donald, and Goofy near the wall. Link held part of the rope in his hand, vaguely wondering what would happen if one of the ropes were caught. He shrugged. What harm could it do? It was just one rope…

So he stood up and slashed the rope in front of him with the Master Sword, the rope snapping and falling to the ground. For a while, nothing happened, until a shockwave of power burst from the sword, sending up a barrier that no one could pass through. Sora banged up against it. "Hey, what gives?" Then he looked up at the sword, which was now glowing with red markings, and floating. It swerved dangerously close to Link before he flipped backwards, going into Wolf Form.

He danced around the sword for some moments before attacking the invisible enemy, and when he was thrown back off, the thing revealed itself.

"Whoa, ugly!" Axel exclaimed. "I take it this thing ain't friendly." Sora rolled his eyes at Axel. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Link wasn't paying attention. He had reverted back to human form, and was aiming his bow carefully at the flying spirit finally letting loose an arrow as it stayed still for a single precious moment so he could pin it, letting it fall to the ground, wounded.

It attempted to whack at him, feebly, with its sword, but it had no such luck. It missed him by several feet, and while it was trying to get its sword out of the ground, Link had just enough time to whack it into oblivion.

The barrier disappeared, and Link smiled at them before collapsing on the ground from exhaustion.

"Link!" Sora cried, kneeling next to him, "Are you all right?" Link nodded. "I'm fine, just a little stiff…" Sora handed him two Ethers, but Link turned them away. Instead, he fished out a fairy from his pack, and he uncorked the bottle, the fairy returning his strength instantly. Link got up along with Sora and smiled. "Seriously, I'm okay. I just didn't get as much sleep as I'd have liked… that sandstorm was kind of disturbing. Once we get out of here, I'm taking a nap; I don't care where."

Even Axel laughed at that one. They walked further into the room and came across a rather large gap with a chest at the end. Link jumped down first, and everyone followed, Sora looking back at Axel.

"Do you know what's in that chest?" Axel shook his head, but held up a finger. "Before I left Zexion, he gave me a piece of paper. Haven't really bothered to look at it until now." He took it out at the same time Link pulled the strange contraption out of the chest.

"Oh, here it is," Axel pointed out. The page read:

_The Spinner:_

_The Spinner is a tool that is used to float over land. Before the Arbiter's Grounds was used as a prison, it was used in the training regimen of the Sheikah. All were given a Spinner and first had to go through and pass the Spinner Training Grounds before the Spinner was truly theirs. Attach it to any notches in walls to travel along them and see where they take you. (see Spinner Tracks) The Spinner can also be used to float over quicksand for a short amount of time and/or lessen a fall or sharp descent of the user._

_Spinner Tracks:_

_Spinner Tracks are indents in the walls of the Arbiter's Grounds that are necessary for proper travel within it. To switch tracks if you are side by side against another, step lightly on the middle symbol to do so. _

Link read it intently. "So what about you guys?" he asked as he handed the paper to Sora, "You don't have Spinners…" Axel folded his arms. "You know, I bet I could transform my chakrams into a pair of Spinners… and maybe that shield of yours, Goofy. But I don't…"

Sora tapped his shoulder, showing a bit of text at the bottom of the page. "That's Zexion's handwriting. I recognize it from his letter." Axel squinted, and then smiled. "Ah-ha! It is his handwriting! Oh good, it's the spell I needed to transform them. Goofy, if you'll hand your shield to me… yes, thank you." He set the shield on the ground in front of him, and summoned his chakrams, setting them on either side, like a triangle. He held his hand out, as if focusing some sort of power, and suddenly there were two red spinners with silver chakram symbols on them, and a green one, with a golden King's Symbol in the middle.

"Now, that's perfect. Oh, and if you wanted to change it back, just think of your shield, and then you'll have it. And if you want it to be a spinner, it'll be a spinner. It's that simple." He looked back at Sora.

"I'm assuming you've got your own method of getting around?" Sora nodded. "Okay!" Axel said, clapping his hands together, "Let's go!"

.oOo.

Zant appeared behind Lexaeus as he stared at the Stallord fossil.

"Are you sure you can handle them by yourself? And what about this kid?" He pointed carelessly to Zexion's limp, unconscious form, which was bolted and chained against the wall behind the Stallord.

Lexaeus was silent, as ever. It was a while before he finally bowed his head to the ground and stared at it, and said, "I don't need your help, weakling. The only reason I haven't killed you yet is because we're on the same side." He turned around and his eyes narrowed. "But get in my way, and I promise you I'll make it sound like you turned traitor and I decided to be merciful."

Zant backed away very slowly. This guy was serious.

Just exactly who were these people anyway? He decided it was time he found out, but he hardly doubted that his master knew. But the library at the palace might know.

So he left as Lexaeus turned away, his gaze fixed on the _Cloaked Schemer_ once more.

.oOo.

Finally, they were back at the boss door (well, what they thought was the boss door). Link was currently in the process of unlocking it with the Spinner, and finally, it moved all the way around, revealing a new chamber. More spinner tracks lay inside which they used to go up and onto the middle platform (Sora was in Flight Form, of course), where another hole in the ground was available for use with the spinner.

This activated another set of tracks, which led them straight to the real boss door. Sora undid his Flight Form as Link caught a new fairy in a bottle. Then Link unlocked the boss door and they entered its chamber, unsure of what they'd see.

However, they didn't expect to see Zexion chained, unconscious, to the wall.

Axel was the most taken aback. "Zexion?" he shouted, but it sounded like a question. Lexaeus appeared on the remains of the giant skeleton in the middle of the room, holding his tomahawk in his hand, his face unreadable.

"Greetings, traitor. You want to rescue your friend? Fight me then." Axel scoffed. "Not just yet. I know you, Lexaeus, that's always been your style, upfront and wicked fast, overpowering with an unprovoked attack that you know can't be won against. You know, it's funny, I didn't see a single lesser Nobody in this place? I wonder why that is… was it because you wanted Zexion to be rescued? Or was it just the boss's orders?" He grinned maliciously.

Lexaeus's left eye twitched. Sora hissed at Axel, "What are you doing?" Axel bit back a reply. He couldn't risk telling him now. He had to get Zexion out of here, or at least off of the wall and awake, if possible. The latter was more likely, but more of a risk that he was used to taking, and that was saying something.

"You don't deserve to know, traitor. So farewell." And he charged, Axel just barely seeing it in time to summon his chakrams and hold them up against Lexaeus's brute strength. Axel knew he was slipping, and he was going through thousands of scenarios second by precious second, but somehow he couldn't find any that didn't result in his death. Not that he had much to live for, but it would kind of be nice. He wasn't too fond of dying again, especially from a simple wound. He'd rather die by fire again instead.

It was Donald and Goofy of all people that saved him. Lexaeus faltered, and Axel was able to complete a quick parry and back flip away from danger, though this maneuver was not without cost. The dust took solid form and thrust Donald and Goofy against the walls, taking some of the excess chains and pulling them against the stone like Zexion, who was still unconscious, amazingly enough.

Lexaeus turned back Sora, Link, and Axel. His eyes narrowed dangerously as the sands behind him began to shift. "You've troubled me for the last time, _Flurry of Dancing Flames_. The temple may have surrendered to your power, but I will not!"

He then proceeded to float backwards over the corpse of the well, whatever it was, and stick his tomahawk straight into the skull. It crackled with power for some moments before awakening something very ancient and dark in its depths. Lexaeus floated high above it as the Stallord came to life, roaring in their faces menacingly. Of all the Organization members Sora ever remembered fighting so far, this was the only one who actually meant business.

Bits and pieces of rock flew around them, biting at their faces. How could the defeat such an imposing enemy? But, luck was with them. Zexion was waking. His eyelids fluttered, dust lined and drowsy, but all the noise in the room suddenly brought him back to reality.

Lexaeus had knocked him out, but he hadn't killed him. Why?

It didn't matter. His line of sight snapped to see Link, Sora, and Axel standing on the far left of him staring up at the monster in the middle, which Lexaeus floated above. He looked for any immediate weaknesses, and when he finally found one, he took a deep breath and hoped he could speak.

"Sora! Link, Axel! Go for the spine! Go for the-ah!" A long line of hardened sand slapped him clear across the cheek, stinging it badly. He winced, his vision blacking out for a moment. Apparently he was still hurt…

"Silence, whelp!"

He also realized, with some difficulty, he was chained to the wall. That, he thought, he could get out of. He just needed the right amount of time.

Link's head snapped up at the sound of Zexion's voice. "Did you hear that? I think he woke up!" Sora nodded. "Said something about going for the spine?" Link spotted a set of spinner tracks all around the side of the room. "I'm going in. Axel, if you'll follow me… and Sora?" He looked deep into Sora's eyes. "No matter what happens to us, you must bring Lexaeus down. I don't care how." Sora nodded.

With that, Link and Axel set off, Axel's remaining chakram in his right hand; ready to whack off any of the oncoming skeleton warriors that were attempting to protect the Stallord.

Sora, on the other hand, had a job to do. He focused the energy he'd dismissed moments ago, and in a flurry of power and feathers, Sora sparkled with light and began to float on his own. Shards of his former self shattered away to be stored until they were needed again as he cried out, transforming into his flight drive form.

Quicker than lightning Sora flew through the flurry of flying boulders, though the sand stung his skin and his face, making it nigh impossible to see, but it didn't matter. He'd gotten a good look of where Lexaeus had been before the sand had even started stirring, and it wouldn't take much to get himself there. "Lexaeus!" he shouted, "You can't hide forever!" Silence. Well, at least there was no reply. Sora clutched the Master Key tightly, praying it would give him the strength to defeat him. "Lexaeus!" he cried again, louder. Then wall of sand hit him and threw him _down_ into the sand, headed for the middle. "Roxas," he called softly, "I need you…"

A hand reached out and pulled him back up to the strip of land and indeed, it was Roxas. Sora's face lit up. "Roxas!" he could've kissed the man if the situation hadn't been so dire. Roxas looked up through the sand, most likely trying to pinpoint Lexaeus's spot. Sora could've sworn he felt two whooshes go past them, but he couldn't be sure.

"Sora, I can do what you can, and vise versa, right?" Sora nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure, why?" Their heads snapped when they heard something crack and shatter, followed by a tormented bellowing. "Something tells me I think they got it, or part of it. We still got to get to Lexaeus." Sora said. "Once we get up there again," Roxas whispered quickly, "Charge up any of your remaining power and whack at anything like mad. Anything except me, that is. We'll do it together."

Sora was sure of that.

So together this time they flew through the sand, and Sora felt someone move near him and away from him that was definitely not Roxas. He'd spent long enough memorizing how Roxas's spirit felt, and this was different. He tugged on Roxas's sleeve and pointed in the direction of the power, and together they charged up their power and whacked like mad in that direction. Eventually, Roxas's Kingdom Key and Sora's Master Key were locked in a battle between Lexaeus himself, but they had caught him by surprise and were able to get a doubly powerful thrust in before he spun towards the ground in a spiral, Sora pursuing him. Roxas chose that particular moment to disappear, seeing as the sand was abating.

The sand was finally clearing, and with a final burst from the Spinner, Link cracked the last section of the spine needed to take out the beast and send it toppling to the ground. All that remained of it was the head, Lexaeus's tomahawk still stuck in its skull.

Zexion unlocked the last chain and dropped to the ground, though the chains from Donald and Goofy had also fallen. Axel walked over to him as they made it to the stone platform before Link started using the Spinner to lower the level. "You all right?" Zexion nodded, rubbing his wrists. "I think I'll be fine, Axel. I just… didn't expect that." Sora stood over Lexaeus's body, confused as to why it wasn't fading. Was he not truly dead?

Zexion looked up, realizing something.

"Sora?" Sora looked back. "Yes, Zexion?" Zexion blinked owlishly. "Where's Torn Heaven? Where's Lexaeus's weapon?" Sora turned around to see the head of Stallord floating behind Link, who had his sword drawn. In the middle of the floating skull's forehead was indeed Lexaeus's sword.

Without warning it barreled straight into Link, sending him flying off the edge, and Sora flew after him. Everyone else had to wait at the top otherwise they wouldn't be able to get up.

"Link you okay?" Link got up and dusted himself off. "Yeah, just peachy… I can honestly say I didn't expect that, though…" He picked up his Spinner. "Well, let's get going. It's not gonna die on it's own now is it?" Sora nodded. Link used the Spinner Tracks while Sora flew close by his side. They finally caught up to the head, but when they did, it blew fireballs at them.

Sora managed to bat them away with his Reflega Break before they even got close, and it was only a matter of time before Link rammed his Spinner into the head, sending it crashing down to the ground where the two heroes proceeded to whack the hell out of the sword in its head. Eventually it was destroyed, and so the returned to the top of the pillar, where they witnessed something of a very intimate scene.

Zexion was kneeling next to Lexaeus, one of his small hands grasping one of Lexaeus's huge ones. Lexaeus was beginning to fade away.

"You know, Axel was right…" Lexaeus coughed. "Right about what?" Zexion queried softly. "That I wanted you to be rescued… all those things I said, I didn't mean them. But I did –(hackcoughwheeze)- I did love you once." Zexion shook his head. "Lex, we can't feel." Lexaeus attempted something of a laugh, but it became a battering set of coughs a moment later.

"Man, you really are dense. You've got something bad for the _Nocturne_, believe you me, and you're saying that we can't feel? Take a look around, Zexion, we can too feel!" Zexion, needless to say, was taken aback.

"Just… don't let go of that kid, all right? God knows Demyx needs an awful lot of looking after…" Zexion had to laugh at that one. "Fine, fine. Whatever you say, my friend." Lexaeus laid back and glanced to Axel. "No hard feelings, man?" Axel waved him away. "No problem." Axel grinned, folding his arms. "You're an even better actor than I am, Lex!" Lexaeus smiled and let his head rest on the stone.

"Now I have no regrets…" And so he closed his eyes and let the nothingness take him. Zexion stood up and stared at the ground for the longest time, but he finally turned to Sora and the rest of them. His face was slightly red and puffy, and Sora could have sworn he saw a tear fall from Zexion's right eye. "Well, let's go." He said softly.

They exited the chamber and made their way to a giant statue of a woman, but were interrupted by some more Shadow Messengers. "Haven't seen these things in a while," Sora commented. It didn't take very long to take them out and for Link to uncover what Midna was looking for.

But after all the sand was let loose and the chains undone, Midna floated around and gasped; the Mirror was real all right, but there was only a shard of it left.

She knelt at the foot of the Mirror, Link glancing this way and that, like a small child waiting to be scolded for something he didn't do. He wanted so badly to comfort her, but he just couldn't… it was then Sora looked up and saw them. Five glowing white figures standing on five of the six turrets of the Arbiter's Grounds.

"_A dark entity lurks in the twilight… It houses an evil power… You who are guided by fate… the Keyblade… you who possess the crest of the goddesses… Hear us." _

Sora tapped his foot lightly. "We're listening…"

"_At the command of the goddesses, we sages have guarded the Mirror of Twilight since ancient times. You seek it… but the Mirror of Twilight has been fragmented by mighty magic. That magic is a dark power that only he possesses… His name is… Ganondorf."_

Sora, Donald, and Goofy, unable to get the message that they were trying to send, simply stared at them while Zexion went flipping away into his lexicon, Axel glancing over. This was news to Midna and Link, however.

"_He was the leader of a band of thieves who invaded Hyrule in the hopes of establishing dominion over the Sacred Realm. He was known as a demon thief, an evil-magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness… but he was blind… In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice. By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods. His abiding hatred and lust for power turned to purest malice… Perhaps that evil power has been passed on to Zant…"_

Midna, who was now sitting on the Mirror's rack next to the remaining fragment, huffed in contempt. "You're just now figuring out where Zant got his power? It's far too late…"

Link watched her speak with a strange expression on her face. It was quiet, reserved, and thoughtful – mournful as it was – it somehow suited her.

"_Only the true leader of the Twili can utterly destroy the Mirror of Twilight… so Zant could merely break it into pieces. Once broken by magic, the Mirror of Twilight became fragments, which even now lie hidden across the land of Hyrule. One is in the snowy mountain heights… One is in an ancient grove… And one is in the heavens… You who have been sent by the goddesses… and the chosen master of the Keyblade… You should be able to gather the three pieces…"_

It was here that, with Link's attention turned once more to the sages that Midna floated to his left side and leaned against it, relishing the warmth of his skin as she set her head against his shoulder, their cheeks brushing. This time, Link didn't blush but rather settled into the touch.

"_But you must be prepared, for a dangerous power resides in those fragments…"_

Sora scoffed. "Danger? I practically live for danger." He grinned and casually linked his fingers against the back of his neck. With that, however, the sages were gone, and no one saw Midna give Link's cheek a gentle nuzzle with her nose before disappearing.

And then, because it was night, Link made good on his promise for a nap.

* * *

Gah! Finally! It's done… and just in time for a new post! Yay. :D

Man, all the Organization's pretty messed up, I swear. First Saïx, then Axel (though he was sort of a nut to begin with), and now Zexion. Pfft. I'm corrupting them, oh noes! XD

And dang, Axel's got quite a mouth on him, doesn't he? Well, kudos to whoever reviews for this chapter first; the giftfic will be dedicated to you! Also, I'm debating about putting in a gag reel of deleted scene chapter right before the epilogue if anyone wants it. Just let me know, okay? (I may post one anyway so you've been warned!)


	15. Through Snow, Sleet, and Rain

Chapter Fifteen: Through Sleet, Snow, and Rain…

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 15

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Really, none of this is mine. No joke. ^_~

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I didn't plan on the slash, okay? It just… sort of happened. I had toyed with the idea of shounen-ai, but, well, it's obviously more than that now. So, the plans from before are slowly shifting (not that I ever told you, but whatever) but there will be total of twenty-three chapters (twenty-four if a have a gag reel/blooper chapter) the parings will be Roxas/Sora, Demyx/Zexion, and Xemnas/Saïx. Oh, and of course Link/Midna but that's not slash since it's canon, sort of. Axel could just be a pairing all on his own if he wanted to, but… well, yeah. But trust me on this, I will make it look good; so don't run away just because it's a slash fic now! I need your support… :)

In any case, this is no 'oh we're in love let's go have manic butt-sex behind the bushes' fic (this is the _fifteenth_ chapter, by the way, if I wanted something to happen, it would've happened by now), it will be bold, dramatic… ((stops and stares at people that are staring)) Oh, stop reading my rants and go read the chapter already will you? :D

* * *

When they awoke, the sun was just beginning to rise over the dunes of the sand, and Axel was still with them. He was staring at the sun with one foot on the stone wall around the platform, the wind playing with his fiery mane majestically.

"Where did Zexion go?" Sora asked him quietly. Roxas was nearby, hiding in the shadow of the large stone in the sand on top of the tower, strengthening his ability to stay solid and a separate consciousness so that he might accomplish being able to do it indefinitely. Axel ran his right hand through his hair. "He left to tell Demyx he was all right. Told me I was to stay with you until further notice." He turned to Sora and the others.

"So I guess you're stuck with me." Link grinned. "I don't mind." Midna shrugged. "Couldn't hurt, I suppose. I like your… selective vocabulary." Axel laughed. "Well, why don't you eat something? I already have and we need to get going soon. Castle Town, Zex said. He told us that we could meet him there."

Sora nodded. They cooked up a quick meal from some bland bread and cheese rations and Link made a quick note to stock up on food supplies when in town.

They arrived at the West Gate, transforming out of their beast forms quickly enough so that the oncoming postman didn't see them, ready to hand Link a letter. "Hope it's not crinkled or anything, mate," the postman muttered, clearly embarrassed. Link waved him away. "I don't mind. Thanks for it, though." The postman nodded and ran off, desperate to get his letters delivered on time.

"Kid has some serious issues," Donald remarked offhandedly. Sora just shook his head as Goofy laughed.

Link went off to buy more supplies and food rations while Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Axel went to Telma's Bar to meet up with Zexion. Demyx was with him, their chairs pushed very close together with Demyx sleeping against Zexion's right shoulder, drooling slightly, though it couldn't be seen in the dark.

"So, what did you find?" Axel asked Zexion calmly, pulling up a chair and sitting next to him, but definitely not as close as Demyx. Sora, Donald and Goofy were spread out evenly on the other side of the table, waiting patiently for the same answer.

Zexion picked up a spice shaker and fingered it in his hand. "I don't know much, but I know this; there is a Mirror piece on Snowpeak, but some sort of Yeti has it." Sora tilted his head. "Yeti? Like abominable snowman type Yeti?" Zexion smiled softly and chuckled.

"Not so, I'm afraid. More like a snow-dwelling Bigfoot, but still. They're called Yetis from what I can tell.

"However… the big one Demyx has been trying to follow is quite difficult to track, and the snow isn't helping much. If there's thing about snow I don't like, is that it's a better illusionist than I am, and that's saying something. Go to the mountain's foothills, just past Zora's Domain, to find Ashei, the warrior woman you met from before. She knows more than I do."

Axel nodded attentively. "Perfect. We'll pass that info on to Link and head for there then." Zexion nodded. "Demyx and I will try to investigate the other two Mirror locations to see if there's anything else we can learn. My book's being a pain and won't tell me anything relevant, for a change."

Axel shrugged. "Well, good luck with your book, kid. Be seeing you."

So they left the bar and met up with Link, who had completed his own task, though was still somehow baffled by the fact that Malo had somehow managed to repair the east bridge and buy the main shop in the Castle Town, which was now a Malo Mart extension. Sora just shook his head, but noticed Link now had a set of nifty armor.

"Sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "It was on sale! But… now that I think about it, it's sort of a waste of time seeing as it's fueled by rupees…"

They just ignored the purchase and Link would inevitably leave the armor to gather dust in the pack. They arrived at Zora's Domain (transforming back into human forms out of sight from any of the Zoras) and swam over to the entrance of the hills to the mountain. It was so chilly there that Sora had to switch his Gaia Bangle off for a Blizzaga Armlet so he would fare better in the snow. He was also grateful his surcoat had long sleeves and a woolen undershirt.

They found Ashei at the foot of the mountain where Zexion said she'd be.

"My friends," she greeted them coolly, "what's brings you to a dangerous place such as this?"

"The snow beast," Sora piped, "have you seen it?" Ashei gave an amused scoff. "Well, I got a glimpse of it, I think. But there's something you need to hear about first. It's this weird things the Zoras told me… apparently, this beast that lives on the mountain has also been making trips into Zora's Domain."

Axel tilted his head. "Any idea why?" Ashei fussed a bit with her clothing. "They say it's been stealing red fish from the village, but that's it. It's not scaring anyone on purpose… but, I digress. Here's a sketch I got of it that might help you if you show it around to some people." She handed the sketch over. Sora looked it over briefly before pocketing the article of paper.

"I came here to investigate this mountain a little more, but beyond these foothills the snows are viciously unrelenting. Can't see a thing. If you're going up the mountain yourselves, you'd best have a plan, got it?"

They all nodded. "Yes, ma'am!"

Sora decided to show the sketch to a pair of Zora guards standing just outside the cave.

"Hey, the beast of Snowpeak…" said the first one, examining it closely. "Oh, look!" pointed out the second, "The red fish it's holding! That's a reekfish!"

The first one nodded sagely, "Ah… So the beast has been showing itself because it's been catching reekfish… We didn't think anyone besides Prince Ralis was capable of catching this type of fish!"

That was all they said to them, because the pair of guards quickly launched themselves in an argument of whether the second Zora could've caught a reekfish or not. It wasn't a particularly interesting argument either, so they left, walking down the side of the river towards Upper Zora's River.

"He mentioned Prince Ralis being the only one able to catch that particular kind of fish…" Sora began, "so why don't we pay him a visit?"

Axel thought for a moment. "It couldn't hurt. Where is he again?" "Kakariko Village," Link answered, "He should've recovered enough to stand by now. I hope he hasn't left yet…" So quickly, they portaled to Kakariko Village, approaching the area in human form and eventually wound up at the graveyard after some interrogation.

They made it to the little grove in the back (Axel chose to stand by the entrance while Link, Sora, Donald and Goofy went to see Ralis) to ask him about the snow beast. Link addressed the boy with a soft hello as they climbed up on the ledge where he had been paying his respects to his parents. "Are… are your names, Link, Sora, Donald, and Goofy?" He asked quietly in reply. They all nodded.

Ralis smiled and looked to the ground. "My mother came to me in a dream and showed me your images." He looked back up at their faces. "She spoke of a handful of youths who would save our domain and steer my fate. They were called Link, Sora, Donald and Goofy. I must thank you for all you've done."

Sora chuckled sheepishly. "Really, it was nothing… we swear…"

Ralis just chuckled lightly. "Well, if there is anything I can ever do for you, please tell me."

"Actually," Sora interjected, "there is something you can do for us… can you take a look at this?" He handed him Ashei's sketch. "The beast man of the mountain snows?" he gasped quietly. "But more important is this red fish it is holding…" Sora nodded, crossing his arms. "Yeah, we know, it's a reekfish. We need to get one." Link looked at him slyly. "Not one for tact, are you?" He turned back to Ralis. "Please don't ask why…" he said through a sigh.

Ralis nodded. "It's all right. It is indeed a reekfish, a rare and valuable breed only found in Zora's Domain. It also only feeds on a valuable type of coral and without that bait, even our best fishers cannot catch one." He reached up towards his ear and gently took it off, handing it to Link.

"My earring is made of this coral. I would like to give it to you. It's in the shape of a fishhook, so if you have a bobber fishing rod, you can attach it to the line."

He glanced down at the ground as Link took it, whispering, "It was given to me by my mother… but it is fine. I no longer need it." Link, debating with himself whether he should give it back or not, just nodded briefly and pocketed the coral.

"When I look at you all," he continued, "I get a sense of what my mother wanted, what I should be doing now…" With a tiny, bitterly light smile, he said, "I will return to my village. The reekfish can be found near the Mother-and-Child Rocks in the waterfall basin near my village. The fish are red, so I think you should be able to spot them." They all nodded and then left, portalling back to Zora's Domain in the graveyard so no one would see.

When they reached the destination, the high, hot noonday sun made it easy to see the reekfish, and as Link was casting the line Sora was beginning to wonder exactly why they were called reek-

Oh. Ugh… that was why.

The walls were high enough so they could transform into beasts to get the scent, though Sora was sure they could've gotten it even as humans. They transformed back, ate the fish (which wasn't that bad), and then entered the passage to Snowpeak's foothills.

Ashei had left, so it was safe to transform back into beasts and follow the scent, being careful not to slip off the ice blocks floating in the freezing water.

At one point, however, Link had gotten separated from the group in the snow despite having been following the scent trail religiously, and Sora and Axel from Donald and Goofy by some renegade White Wolfos.

Link couldn't see the trail at all.

All he could feel was the snow beating against his fur, piling on it until he looked much like the White Wolfos he kept seeing around here, and every direction he looked in seemed the same. He howled, trying to see if anyone would reply back, but there was no answer but his own echo coming back to him. He cursed himself for his stupidity.

Midna leaned by his ear. "Is something the matter?" He tried his hardest not to snap at her in his frustration. "I can't… I can't find them! Or the scent! I don't even know where we are on the map…"

As if to add insult to injury, his stomach rumbled. "I just ate, dammit! Ah…"

The snow on his fur was beginning to sink in, coming into contact with his body heat and sliding down his back in slow, icy rivulets.

Midna leaned back and scratched his head softly. That helped him keep his head, and after some searching, he managed to find Donald and Goofy. "Hey, where's Sora?" he asked them. They, too we covered in snow that piled on them from the steadily beating winds that chilled them to boot.

They shook their heads. "He disappeared with Axel after they were attacked by some Wolfos. We've been looking for them, but we had to keep sight of the trail… maybe they're farther up?" Link spotted the trail and looked.

It was worth a shot.

Sora and Axel (who had figured out how to use his chakrams in beast form) were fighting off a hoard of White Wolfos.

At first it was a few. Just one, two, they could fight 'em off. Never mind that they'd lost the trail completely. At least they were lost together. But more came and soon they were forced to run. They found the trail again, and followed it, running for their lives, but to no avail; those things were fast! More and more showed up until a whole pack had surrounded them. They were nothing more than snow, but their teeth still felt sharp enough.

Axel's fiery chakrams were at the ready, twirling like mad at his sides like the flanks armor of a horse. "Sora? You ready for this? We're surrounded." Sora grinned. "Just don't put your whole being into an attack like last time, okay?" Axel laughed. "I don't bet on that now."

Then they lunged. Axel's chakrams shot forward and when they reached the middle of the circle's edge, they trailed the circle all the way around until the met each other again on the other side, blazing with flames. Sora finished off the last of them with a Firaga Impact, done beast style of course. And then all that was left was the snow battering against them and their friends rushing up to meet them.

"What happened to you?" Link asked skeptically, eyeing the chakrams. "Oh, nothing we couldn't handle," Axel said, nonchalantly, his chakrams going out in a poof.

So they proceeded through the snow without much incident, save for the occasional ice bat that proved annoying enough to be killed off.

They came across a cave at one point, transforming back into human forms to climb the vines, but it wasn't too much trouble. The Messengers that attacked them in the snow clearing were hardly even a challenge anymore. Link howled with the Howling Stone nearby, and they decided to retrieve it quickly, since they could always portal back.

Link learned the Jump Strike, and Sora learned the Aero Blade, a swift set of sword techniques that could be used to knock the blade of an opponent clear out of their hands, leaving them open for an attack. They came back quickly.

Coming up the hill, they spotted the snow beast. They quickly changed into human forms as they approached, tense and apprehensive.

The creature turned to them. "Uh! Whoa-ho!

"I heard ruckus, and uh! Just a few humans!" Sora tilted his head. "You, ah, don't see humans often?" The snow beast shook his head. "No. Why humans come to snows? You… on spiritual journey? You look for true self?"

They blinked. Link shuffled his feet and replied hesitantly, "Uh… sure. Yeah. We are." The snow beast roared with laughter. "Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh! You look for long time! … That was joke. Yetis joke too, uh." Sora was the only one who had managed to regain his voice to laugh shakily back (except for Axel who was surveying the scene with a wry smile on his face).

"You look for something else, uh? Tell the truth," said the Yeti. It was then Link told him about the mirror. "… Uh. You look for mirror in such faraway place… Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh! Why you not say so before?" No response, though Axel was pretending to clear his throat to keep from laughing his sides off.

"But you make good climb!" the Yeti persisted, "And you lucky to meet me!"

"Yes, we are," agreed Link quietly. "I found shiny mirror piece," says the Yeti to Link, "Same mirror you look for, uh?" Link nodded. "It's quite possible. We'd have to see it."

The Yeti nodded and patted his chest. "Uh! You come to house and see yourself! I caught fish, I make you hot meal, at least… My house far away… We slide there, uh? Do like me! Come!'

And so the Yeti rolls into the tree nearby, its leaves frozen solid into slices of ice wide enough to stand on.

He gets on the one that falls and rides down the hill.

Sora looks up at the tree. "Looks like we're going snowboarding." Suddenly a grin comes to his face. "I've always wanted to snowboard!" Axel chuckled. "That Yeti was something funny, don't you think?" Sora rolled his eyes. "I guess. A little on the weird side, though."

Axel chuckled. "That's the point!"

Sora just shook his head and threw himself against the tree, making a leaf fall. He picked it up and the others took their pieces. "Let's make it a race!" he called. Even Link was up for that. They raced through the snow, over bridges and gaps (at one point Sora could've sworn he heard Axel actually scream in fear despite the fact that he supposedly couldn't feel) and finally, ending up at a huge manor that they supposed was the Yeti's home.

"… Here?" Midna questioned, looking at the house curiously

"What's with this guy? He's got a nice place… for a beast-man." And so they walked up to the door and entered Snowpeak Manor.

* * *

Whoo, short chapter. Huh. Didn't expect that. Well, there's no organization guy here (figured Yeta was pretty messed up from the mirror in the first place so I left her alone – there was actually a reason for Vexen's defeat in Lakebed Temple!) so no tidbit about them. I wonder where poor Saïx is, though… still mulling over his newfound 'feelings' I suspect. XD

Well, we did get to see Axel in action though. And sorry about the hidden skill. I was lazy, so sue me. :D


	16. Snowpeak Ruins

Chapter Sixteen: Snowpeak Ruins

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 16

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: I haven't quite figured out how to breach the fantasy/reality barrier yet, so none of this is mine. :)

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Ah, I love it when things go to plan, don't you? Writing ahead was surely a good idea… by the time this gets up to the site, I'll be six, seven chapters away from being completely done! So this wasn't a bad venture, huh? This was such a thrill for me, (even if the yaoi bit isn't your cup of tea) and I may even do a sequel! But I wouldn't count on it. My other fics call to me. Maybe you should look into them!

Okay, on with the fic! (I think I should copyright that line or something.. XD)

* * *

Snowpeak Manor was huge. Or so it looked from where they stood. As Link, Sora, and the rest of their motley group walked through the entrance hallway decorated with dusty metal statues of armor they could see that the foyer of the place had once been an extravagant room with two sweeping carpeted grand staircases on the sides of the room (now in a horrid state of disrepair) leading up to the second floor's landing, and of course three metal chandeliers on the ceiling above.

But the elements had torn a huge hole in the ceiling and snow filtered in softly from it, giving the place an old, ruined feel. The tiling on the floor had frozen over some, and a few tiles had been ripped clean from their places, scattered amongst the debris littered about the place.

The carpeting was ripping terribly and curtains lay (or hung) discolored and dusty. However this place had a distinct grandness about it that it pulled off even now in its broken state that signified it had once been beautiful.

There was only one door that they could enter for the moment, so they did.

The next room was a wide, empty parlor with paintings hanging sideways on the walls, a wide, rich red carpet that seemed a little newer than the carpet in the room before, with a huge velvet chair sitting by a roaring fire, a small tea table, and in front of the table (from their point of view) was a velvet loveseat, upon which a figure much like the Yeti from before sat.

It turned to them (Sora wondered vaguely if it was wrapped up in some sort of blanket because it didn't appear to have arms) a little surprised at their entrance.

"… Who?" The creature spoke softly. The voice was feminine. They walked over to her slowly, and Sora began to realize that this was another Yeti, just a… girl Yeti. He blushed softly, but the glow of the firelight hid it well. He hadn't thought there might be more than one Yeti.

_She looks so small,_ Roxas observed, _I wonder how they…_

Sora blinked, and then shoved that thought away, scolding Roxas for his dirty mind and telling him sternly to get it out of the gutter.

"Sorry," the female Yeti coughed, "… I have sickness, you see? Hard time seeing… I have…" Another wracking cough. She sounded terrible. "How sick are you?" Sora asked her, slightly worried. She seemed like a nice girl.

"You cute little humans," she said wistfully, apparently not having heard Sora's question, "Husband told me you come. You want to look at mirror, uh?" Link nodded slowly. "Yes, that's what we'd like to do." He sounded as if he didn't quite know how to tread around the female Yeti.

"My husband found it, but it pretty thing, uh. But… since I get mirror, I get sick, and then bad monsters appear… So many bad things happen since mirror…" She coughed again. Sora looked back at Axel. "Sense any other Nobodies?" Axel shrugged. "Lesser ones. None of the Organization. The ones that are here are just here because they're attracted to the mirror's power. There's no one controlling them."

"Where is the mirror now?" Link asked her softly, keeping an ear out on Axel's conversation with Sora.

"We lock bedroom on third floor where it hangs, uh. Wait… I tell you where key is…" Link smiled softly. "Really? You're too kind." She managed a smile herself, but a weak one. She gave him a map of the mansion and circled the room where the key was. "Start with that door there," she said, nodding to the door at their right.

Link nodded. "We will, thank you."

The entered the room to find the larger Yeti from before standing over a boiling pot. This was a kitchen with many boxes of fruits and things, barrels full of who knew what (one barrel made a sloshing sound that Sora didn't think was pickles…) and actually felt warm.

The Yeti greeted them heartily. "You!" They walked closer, smelling the cooked fish and soup mixture. "Wife… look bad, uh?" the Yeti sighed loudly, "Not healthy since mirror… So I make soup for her." Sora smiled.

"That's nice of you." The Yeti laughed. "See, fish from Zora village are most nutritious!" Sora nodded in understanding. "So that's why it's been going into the village…" "You tired, uh?" The Yeti asked. Link shook his head. "Not yet." The Yeti smiled. "If you get tired, you have some. It give you energy!"

Sora nodded. "We'll keep that in mind." He turned to Donald and Goofy. "Why don't you keep the other one company? She looked like she needed it…" Goofy nodded. "Sure, we'll do that! You stay safe now, okay?" Donald nodded the same as he followed Goofy out the door.

They found Ooccoo hiding in a pot around the back, and decided to take her with them.

They exited the kitchen through the only door they could access into a square room with another hole in the ceiling. "Seems to be the style of architecture in this place," Axel said, grinning. Sora rolled his eyes.

It was a classic block puzzle; not too hard to figure it out. They got it done in less than five minutes.

They walked outside through the door and dug in the snow (in beast forms, of course) into the courtyard. Like the rest of the place, it was big, old, and in need of repair. It was the usual square courtyard with walkways and turrets and balustrades, all made of magnificent but weather-beaten stone. Up top, they could see a giant blue heart-shaped lock on the door of the tower, presumably where the mirror was being kept. The stone walkway was somewhere on the other side, unreachable at the point.

There was a chest in the snow, which Link made quick work of and dived for the nearby door. "Quick thinking there," Axel said, looking through the gaps in the worn door, "otherwise we would've been chow food for the snow dogs." Sora groaned. "Don't mention them, please…" Axel grinned.

The next few areas contained ice monsters that Link dubbed as 'menaces to the world' and then some. Sora giggled. "You sure, Link? They look kind of cute…" Carefully he picked one up, careful not to startle it so it wouldn't freeze his hands solid (like Link's leg was currently – he was threatening to kill Axel if he didn't melt it off) and cuddled it.

_Just don't name it after me…_ Roxas muttered lowly. Sora smiled in spite of himself, setting the little thing free to roam outside.

Sora, while fond of the mini Freezards, wasn't fond of the skinny ones with spears. He blasted the last one with a Firaga spell and winced visibly as he plucked part of an ice spear from his behind, groaning in pain. It wasn't a very deep wound, but it was a cold one, and it didn't settle well with him. He had a few sips of a Potion before he followed Link to the chest on the other side of the room.

Link knelt down next to the chest and opened it, blinking in surprise as he pulled out an Ordon pumpkin. He stared at it skeptically as Midna complained, "What's this? This isn't right! She got the wrong location. Want to go back and try to get her to remember where the key is?"

Link pocketed the pumpkin and sighed. "I suppose so… let's go through that door there. Leads back to the kitchens."

They went through the door and ended up back in the sliding block room.

Axel and Sora glanced back at Link, who was holding the map. "Hey, they're not labeled!" Sora and Axel just shook their heads, lips slightly upturned in silent laughter.

The yeti standing by the pot looked up sharply. "What flavor!" Quickly, he walked over to Link, who was standing wide-eyed and rigid at the sudden movement. "You have pumpkin, uh?" Link dug the pumpkin out of his pockets quickly before the yeti forced it off him. He knew the Yeti wouldn't hurt him, not really, but even getting shoved by those huge hands… they would leave some nasty bruises for sure.

"Here! You can have it…" The Yeti snatched it and chopped it up into the soup. "Look!" he said to them, "Soup better now! Have taste!" Link took his only empty bottle and everyone had a sip of it. They felt refreshed, ready to continue forward without delay, but…

"It's missing something," Sora observed quietly.

The Yeti nodded. "I know. It missing something. Cheese, maybe…?" The Yeti, however, trailed off, so they entered the parlor and explained what they'd found to the female Yeti.

"…What? Pumpkin? But why there? No good, uh… where I leave it?" She sighed softly, Donald and Goofy sitting by the fire, watching. She thought hard for a few moments when a bright expression crossed her face. "Uh! Maybe in THAT room…"

She marked another place on the map.

She also unlocked the door to the north, which they took. This one went directly outside where they came face to face with the hugest Freezard they'd come across. Even Axel looked wary of it. They wisely decided to keep out of the range of its blaster.

Eventually they came across an armory that was, while intact, completely covered in ice. Axel picked up the small round metal ball in the center of the floor while Sora sent the Freezards outside to go bury themselves in the snow. (A/N: Now I'm starting to think they're cute… gah.) "What's this?" he said, looking it over. Sora gave it a light sniff. "Smells like gunpowder. Maybe it's a cannonball?" Axel looked towards the walls of ice and then tapped on with a chakram.

"These are heavy pieces of ice. Even I couldn't burn them away completely. There has to a be mechanism somewhere around – hey!" A stray mini Freezard had come around the corner and bumped into Axel's leg, but the sharp movement of his foot caused it to panic and freeze his leg from the foot to his thigh.

"What? Oh, crap… I hate these things!" Sora just picked up the Freezard and cooed to it softly, giggling. "Yeah, so? You were the one who tried to name a flying flaming skull after Roxas." Axel sighed. "Good point."

He melted off the ice and after carefully skirting around a few more mini Freezards they found the mechanism Axel had been talking about and tilted it towards the rows of compacted ice. They slid the cannonball in and after sitting around to a minute of trying to figure out how to get it to go, Link stuck a bomb inside and eventually it exploded, shattering the walls and enabling them to proceed. Axel had this strange goofy grin on his face that told Sora he'd have to keep an eye on Axel…

They found the compass in the room beyond and went back to the snowy courtyard to dig up a chest with a key inside that they used to open the metal-bar door to the west.

Link looked at the thing next to the door. "Wonder what this does…" He pulled down the switch and the spoon shaped part of the strange contraption came down. He looked back at the cannonballs littering the area and smiled, picking one up and putting it into the dip.

He went back out and pulled down the switch again, the cannonball rolling down and out. He picked it up and took it over to the cannon across the way, shooting it into the Freezard blocking their way. All the while, Sora and Axel were just watching in fascination. "Say, you got a quick mind there," Axel mused, "you sure you don't need us to help you?" He chuckled as Sora cocked his head and smiled, leaving Link to stare intently at the ground and try to hide his bright red cheeks.

They entered the door behind the mini Freezards playing in the snow.

It was quiet. Too quiet. It was an armory, for sure, one very much different that the one from before, but it had several cannons inside and pieces on cannons, boxes of cannonballs, among other things. Axel stayed behind at the entrance, unsure exactly why he felt so… off. It wasn't until Sora and Link neared the door at the other end of the room that he knew.

The statue in front of him was moving. And in its hand, it had a ball and chain. It was _not_ just about to try and hurt his friends now was it? It started to swing the ball and chain. Yes, yes it was.

Axel summoned his chakrams, and before it could even flinch the thing was downed and completely dead, the ball sailing through the air as it fell, but only knocking out the other set of armor, which startled the other two, but did them no harm. "Sorry about the ruckus," Axel said, grinning, "thing was about to kill you." Sora blinked. Link looked at the ball and chain skeptically, then smiled as he picked it up and stuffed it into his bottomless pocket.

Link smashed the ice blocks with the ball-and-chain to reveal the chest they were searching for. However, inside was more food – this time goat cheese.

"Aw, food AGAIN?!" Midna scowled, more than a little irked. "Actually, I like it. Let's give it to that Yeti so he can put it in the soup. Might make it taste better." Midna crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yeah whatever. I had a bad feeling about this. She didn't seem very sure of herself…"

So they went back to the Yeti by the soup pot, Link quickly handing him the cheese before he was knocked back by force.

Once he put it in, they let it sit a few moments and they took a few sips.

"Hey, you aren't a bad cook, for a Yeti…" Axel murmured, licking his lips. Sora was grinning softly. "I like the cheesy aftertaste. Do you think maybe she remembers where the key is now?" Link shrugged. "Maybe." They went back to the female Yeti.

"I think I remember, uh! We put key in nearby room, so no forgetting, uh." Donald coughed. "Oh really…?" Goofy flicked him to keep him quiet.

"It's all right," Link told her softly, "there's no need to be embarrassed. Just mark the page for us and we'll be on our way." So she did. "It is there this time!" she said, smiling gently, "For sure!" Link nodded. "Where to?" She gestured towards the west door, which was now unlocked. "There. Go through there." Link nodded. "Okay. Get better soon, okay?" She smiled, her eyes closing happily.

"You sweet little humans."

More big Freezards were in the following room (but Axel had had enough of no fighting and just torched them because he could) and they traveled through many rooms acquiring a key, some power boosts, a rather nasty cut, and a surprise visit by a trapped Poe on the way, ending up in a room that was completely frozen over with ice, save for the doors. It looked like it had once been a bedroom.

"This one seems to be the worst one…" Axel muttered as Sora scooted the mini Freezards out of the room (he had somehow developed a bond with the little creatures that kept them, for the most part, out of their hair). "It's on the southeast side of the mansion; the wind and snow beat across it so much that I guess it's completely frozen over." Sora said as the last one went out the door and into the foyer.

They entered the door to the north and found themselves back in the sliding block room. Link looked it over closely and found a third block encased in ice, as well as an iced over switch. He climbed down and took care of it with Axel and Sora's help (took them forever, Axel swore) unlocked a new door up above, which they entered.

They found themselves back in the snowy broken courtyard on top of one of the broken landings. They marched (ran, rather) forwards and over a gap in the wall, landing safely away from the Freezard Warriors.

Somehow, someway, they ended up back in the completely frozen room with the mini Freezards. "Do these things go at it like bunnies or what?" Axel growled, "I'd much rather be fighting hordes of Creepers instead…" Sora grinned, picking up one and stroking it. "Aw, Axel. I think I might just name it after you!" Axel sighed, exasperated. They exited through the door to the west.

"Gah! Freezards!" Axel chuckled. "I take it you don't like the big ones?" Sora pouted. "Not really, no." Axel chuckled and walked up to one, wielding his fiery chakrams. "Cause I like you, I'll kill 'em off just this once."

Then just like that, they were gone.

Moments later, Link was shooting a cannonball at a Freezard perched high above everything, blocking the way to the key. (Sora felt sure it was the right one – and by now he realized he could've just opened the door with the Keyblade, but decided against it, knowing Link would just protest, and probably whack him until he promised to shut up about it) The huge Freezard shattered, and the three made their way to the room where the key was.

It was a tiny chapel, complete with pews. The carpet was different here, lush, actually, and still fuzzy. Not warm, no, certainly not, but it didn't have a fine layer of dust lurking in its fibers, or a light coating of snow (though Sora could've sworn he saw small patch in the back where just a little snow had fallen in). The windows were still intact, with a slight golden sheen. The curtains, tautly fastened to their rails, were bright with color.

It felt homey, actually. Until a bunch of Freezard Warriors started chucking ice spears at them. They made short work of them, as well as the Nobodies that had appeared (just a few Creepers and Dusks), careful not to knock over any of the shiny pews, as that would've ruin the whole effect of the room.

The chest that Link was opening was indeed the Bedroom Key, in the shape of a bright blue heart.

"Speaking of hearts," Axel mused, "I wonder if there's any significance to the fact the lock is heart shaped, and the key…" Sora shrugged. "To us? Maybe, maybe not. I doubt it, though." Link, who had no idea what they were talking about just gently urged them forward out of the door, where the female Yeti was waiting, Donald and Goofy trailing at her heels.

"Oh!" she chattered happily, "I drink husband's soup, feel much better, uh. So I come find you." Sora rubbed the back of his neck. "You didn't have to…" Another bright smile. "Bedroom right above us. I take you there, uh."

So they went (the female Yeti was terribly slow) up to the bedroom, unlocking the door and going inside.

The bedroom was one of the more extravagant rooms that they'd seen through their explorations with no snow at all inside, bright carpets and warm curtains, with a wide, comfy looking bed and plush pillows. Across the way, where the female Yeti was walking towards, was the mirror.

"Here… mirror. You look at it, uh…" She said softly, almost coveting. "Uh… so pretty…" She was swaying back and forth, examining herself in the mirror like a young, vain girl would. "Pretty… uh… So pretty…"

But something was wrong.

She began to still and convulse, her head twitching. Sora moved to touch her, but Link held him back. Her voice broke often as she kept speaking. "Why don't you go back downstairs, Yeta?" Goofy asked her softly. She ignored him.

"Pretty… Pretty… mirror… Lovely." Suddenly, her head turned a full one-hundred-eighty degrees to look at them, and she was transformed into something dark and demonic.

"NOT TAKE MIRROR!" she screamed. And so the fight began.

The beautiful windows shattered, letting in the beating snow and covering everything with it. By some strange magic, the whole floor became ice and Yeta was transformed into a great huge chunk of ice. This was the Twilit Ice Mass: Blizzeta.

Axel looked at Sora, and Sora looked at Axel. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Axel said. Sora grinned. "If what you're thinking we go around the back and torch it at full blast, then yes." Axel frowned. "Well, that was close." He glanced behind him towards Link. "Can you hit it with the ball-and-chain to send it flying once we're done?" He nodded. Donald tapped impatiently. "What about us?"

Sora looked up at the ice. "Donald, throw some fireballs for extra measure, and Goofy, hurl the biggest shield you have at it, okay?" Goofy stood straight and saluted him. "Yes, sir!"

Then they ran.

What happened next could only be described as organized chaos, if there even was such a thing. Axel was on the right, Sora on the left and they ran as fast as they possibly could. No one knew exactly what to do, but it happened. Axel and Sora got down on the ice and slid past the spinning mass in the middle of the room, Sora blasting the biggest fireball he could ever remember, and Axel's fiery chakrams flying off like thrown Frisbees, sticking themselves inside the mass and exploding upon contact.

Donald didn't even have to fire once. Neither did Goofy. Sora and Axel had reduced its size just enough so that it could be slammed into the wall neatly with one hit from the ball-and-chain, shattering the ice around the morphed Yeta. But, it wasn't done yet. With a piercing shriek, it incased itself in yet another block of ice, with smaller, sharper blocks surrounding it.

Then those blocks began to follow them.

_They've got a homing magic on your friend, _Roxas told him hurriedly, _Link, was it?_

"Link, be careful!" Sora shouted, "Those ice blocked are after you! Run for it!" Easier said than done, especially with a pair of slick boots that could only just keep their grip on the ice.

Each block fell into a neat line as he ran (slid, fell, skipped, it didn't matter) and an idea suddenly occurred to Sora. He shot off several Firaga spells off in quick succession, melting several of the blocks. The remaining blocks returned to Blizzeta's side, and came back to Link in a tight circle just big enough for…

"It's about to drop, Link! Head for a gap and then whack it when she comes down!" Quickly, he did so, and Blizzeta cried out in pain. How she howled! Sora covered his ears. With the fuss she was making, Link had certainly landed the defeating blow, but did it have to be so loud?

Everyone else seemed to be thinking the same thing as they covered their ears and Blizzeta's magic shattered, Yeta returning to herself, unconscious, on the carpeted floor (which had appeared just after the ice disappeared).

And Link received the Mirror Shard.

"Well," said Midna softly, "We have two mirror shards now…" Link slowly slid the mirror into her hair/hand's grasp. "Two more left, Link. Still… I feel bad about the way we treated that girl."

Sora nodded. "But, it had to be done. The darkness was eating her up inside and that was all we could do to save her." He looked slightly pained, but he kept his composure. "It was the same with Riku, before he managed to finish off the darkness in his heart before we faced Xemnas."

"But," Midna said softly, "to think the Mirror of Twilight has the power to change people like that… This world… ALL worlds…. can be cruel…" Sora could agree with that.

"Let's hurry up and collect the rest of those pieces!" she said, finishing it.

"We have to, before more innocent creatures have to endure what this poor girl did…" Axel smiled, just a little. "Do I detect a change of heart, Midna?" She looked back, her expression unreadable. "Perhaps," she said simply.

She summoned a portal close by. "Well, let's go search for the two pieces that remain…" she trailed off, but then looked up sharply.

There stood the other Yeti, shocked, and slightly angry at the sight of his wife lying hurt on the floor. He gave a howl of frustration akin to a battle cry, and Sora only managed to drag Link out of the way before he was thrust back by the Yeti's powerful strength. Yeta whispered groggily, "Uh… Uh… What… What wrong with me?"

The Yeti sat her up gently. "Very strange… you just dreaming, uh." It was as if he knew the mirror was trouble. "Yeto! Mirror you gave…" She looked towards the mirror, panic-stricken. Yeto shook his head as he rubbed her back. "Forget mirror, Yeta. No. Look into eyes of Yeto… Look in reflection of Yeto's eyes. There true beauty!" Yeto picked her up into the large, furry arms and smiled wider. "Who need mirror?" he whispered.

"My love, uh!" she cried happily. They shared a loving embrace, which their motley group didn't wish to interrupt. So they left, quickly and quietly.

As if they had never been there at all…

* * *

Took me forever to finish… it was actually the boss battle that held me up.

(giggles quietly) Sora has an affinity for those little Freezard things! Everyone seems to hate them, so I thought I'd give them a little love. Well, ja ne!


	17. To the Sacred Grove!

Chapter Seventeen: To the Sacred Grove!

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 17

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Why do I even bother, huh? I. NO. OWN!

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Last chapter took forever. I promised I'd try to start updating on Fridays but... I hope this one goes faster. (Remember, I'm writing these in advance!)

On with the fic!

* * *

After they left the mansion they headed straight for Castle Town. More specifically, Telma's bar.

When they entered, Zexion was at the same table as before, but Demyx was not with him. "Hey, sexy," Axel joked slyly as he slid into a seat. "Oops, slip of the tongue. What's happening Zex?" Zexion rolled his eyes. "I take it you found the mirror piece at Snowpeak?" Sora nodded. "Yeah, we did." He was quieter than usual, probably because of what Midna had said. Link was completely silent, and Donald and Goofy were just sort of there.

"Hey Zex," Axel said, cocking his head to the left, "where's Demyx?" Zexion's eyes shifted. "Asleep." Axel chuckled. "You two have fun last night?" For a minute, it looked like he was going to say something, but instead he just blushed and tried his best not to hide his face in his hair.

Once he regained the ability to speak he said quietly, "I think before I go I should wake him up and tell him he'll be with you for a while. We followed Luxord's trail right to the mirror piece, but I don't…"

Axel nodded. "Luxord's games can be a bit more than just games, I get it. I'll keep him away from wherever the bastard's hiding. Where is he, by the way?"

"The Sacred Grove," Zexion shot back, not missing a beat, "Rusl was there a while back, but I told him I could get Link there safely. I don't know if he trusts me completely, but I'm pretty sure he sensed I was telling the truth." Axel nodded. "So, shall we get to it?" Zexion's eyes narrowed. "You're not coming with me Axel." He nodded. "I know, I know, sheesh. What, did you let yourself be on the bottom for once?" Again Zexion's cheeks flared, this time bright red. "A-Axel! Q-Quiet you!" he hissed.

Axel just grinned.

There was a little room in the bar that Telma had let them use (they'd told her they didn't have a place to stay and she insisted they take the opportunity) and Zexion entered it quietly. He sat gently on the right side of the bed, shaking Demyx awake.

Demyx opened one sleepy eye. "Do you have to go now?" he asked, not entirely awake. "Yeah," Zexion said softly, stroking Demyx's cheek. "Axel will keep you safe, though. You know why I don't want you there."

Demyx nodded and closed his eyes. "Okay. Just tell him to let me sleep a few more hours, okay?"

Zexion grinned and placed a soft, slow kiss on the _Nocturne's_ forehead.

"Sure, I'll let him know. Doesn't mean he'll actually do it, though, so give him a good soaking for me if he tries to do anything." "Didn't know he liked me that way," Demyx joked sleepily. Zexion chuckled. "He doesn't, that I know of. Just keep an eye out for Axel; he's as much of a trouble magnet as you are."

Demyx nodded into the pillows as he turned to them. "Two if I can spare them. See you later, Zexy." And in just a few short moments he was out again.

Zexion pulled the covers back up to his head and leaves the room.

He closed the door and pushed in his chair, picking up his book from the table. "He'd like to sleep a few more hours. I'd let him, too, cause he'll probably soak you if you don't." Sora giggled. There was this priceless look of fear on his face that was so unlike him to have. Zexion flashed him a grin and they left for the Sacred Grove.

Well, they tried to, anyway.

Link looked at the sky. It was tinted brightly with early morning light, but strangely they didn't feel tired at all. "Perhaps we should restock on supplies? Who knows what we're going to find in the Grove, after all." Zexion nodded.

"Always good to be prepared. Donald, Goofy, why don't you go with him?" Donald nodded. "Gotta make sure he doesn't overspend!" Link glared. "Hey! I'm careful with my rupees! Always!" Goofy just laughed. "Well be up in the observatory," Zexion shot back as they crossed the square. Sora followed, his eyes combing through the whole of the main thoroughfare.

"So, Zexion, do you know what we're looking for in the Sacred Grove?" Zexion shrugged.

"Luxord said something about the Temple of Time. I was going to ask Link if he knew what it was, but then I remembered my lexicon." Sora tilted his head as they slumped against the wall overlooking the crowds. "So your book… it like, knows everything?" Zexion nodded. "Well, yes. Lexicon is just another word for dictionary."

Sora's eyes lit up. "So that's why all those papers were written like definitions! I had always wondered how you did that…" Zexion smiled, and then shrugged. "What, did you think I did it because I liked it?"

Sora grinned sheepishly. "That or so I could understand them." Zexion shook his head. "You're smarter than you give yourself credit for, Sora. How else could you have defeated nine out of the thirteen of us, hmm?" "Ten, actually," Sora said, lacing his fingers against the back of his neck casually. "Axel told me I defeated him once, but he was holding back. He could've taken me if he wanted to." Zexion hummed in agreement. "Must've been Castle Oblivion."

They stayed that way for a while, the silence quite agreeable.

People below bustled about, unaware of the fact that they had once been spirits, or that not only their lives but also their very hearts were still at risk. Not that the Princess could leave the castle now even if she wanted to; the great yellow pyramid still covered the entirety of the castle's perimeter, shining upon the town.

The soldiers that stood by the gate were talking to one another in hushed tones, pointing to Link, Donald, and Goofy walking into the Malo Mart. Link's popularity seemed to be mounting, but Sora wouldn't tell him that.

As he looked over the town, with its beautiful stonework, awe-inspiring fountain, banners, food, chattering and merrymaking, Sora wondered how the people could still have such fun and happiness, even when they knew for sure something wasn't quite right? (After all, how could you miss the great yellow pyramid encasing the castle?)

"So what did your book say about the Temple of Time?" Zexion glanced over to Sora, apparently having been lost in his own thoughts as well.

"Not much. It gave me a rather interesting history, though. The Temple of Time was what originally housed both the Door of Time, and the Master Sword. The Door of Time could only be opened if three sacred stones were placed on the altar in front of the Door. The Song of Time had to be played on the Ocarina of Time so that the door could open to reveal the Master Sword, which was the final key to the Sacred Realm, the resting place of the Golden Power of the goddesses."

Sora laughed quietly. "What a story, huh? I wonder what happened to the Temple of Time if Link has the Master Sword now? Did you book say anything about that?" Zexion shook his head. "I'm sure it knows, but there are some things _I _am not meant to know."

"So you don't know?" Zexion nodded. "Pretty much, yes." He glanced over the balcony. "Looks like Link's ready. We should go."

.oOo.

Saïx's dual personality phase had all but disappeared. He knew this because he hated it with a passion.

He watched as his Superior was treated like a toy, while underneath that calm demeanor of that toy laid a wide expanse of intelligence and cunning. Xemnas wasn't fit for a toy's work.

But, strangely enough, he looked like he liked it.

Ganondorf left to oversee some other work of evil or some such, probably to see Zant (god, he hated the man so much), and when he had finally left, Xemnas turned to him. "So, my beloved _Diviner_, is Luxord in position?" Saïx swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Yes, sir," he said softly.

Xemnas studied the _Luna Diviner_. He had been awfully quiet as of late, and more submissive than normal. He was behaving completely out of character for someone of his "emotional" caliber.

"The traitors are equal to us in number, Superior," Saïx said tersely, clearing his throat. His Superior walked closer to him, putting his hands in his shoulders. "But, my precious, we have the element of surprise. We don't need the strength of numbers… not when we have each other." Xemnas grinned devilishly and pressed closer to Saïx, their noses nearly touching. Saïx tried to keep his composure, but his cheeks heated up considerably.

"I… see, Superior." Xemnas breathed on Saïx slowly, the curling heat tickling the tender cheek of the _Diviner_.

"I thought I told you to call me Xemnas, Saïx…" Xemnas said softly, almost tenderly. Saïx saw a glint of regret in his Superior's eyes and thought to catch it before it slipped away. "S- Xemnas? Do you ever have regrets about this? Surely you must know that we can feel again."

Xemnas had the nerve to look shocked.

Saïx waited, firmly and no longer caught between the lust and fear that had clouded his mind before. He was the cold and emotionless Saïx for a moment more, but would let it down once Xemnas admitted whatever plagued him.

But what surprised him even more was that Xemnas actually laughed. "My dear Saïx, whatever gave you the idea that it was about the hearts from the very beginning? Ever since you joined the Organization, you knew far more than my pet Zexion. You were my favorite, always. My friend; confidant. I let you know things no one else did."

Saïx's eyes narrowed. "Xemnas, I don't care about a world all to myself, or even with you. I… value my friendship with Axel, traitor or not. You… should've told me that when things were simpler…" He turned away from Xemnas, who this time was genuinely surprised.

"You should've told me when I didn't have a heart."

And Saïx disappeared from Xemnas's view into the darkness. Ganondorf came back behind him, grinning wickedly. "Having a lover's spat, pet?" Xemnas tried to scramble for a witty comment, but came up short. What was wrong with him?

"I'm not your pet," he managed to force out, but it came out small and timid, almost heartbroken. He knew very well that they already had what they were looking for, but he had wanted more than that.

"Oh, but you are. I brought you back, didn't I? I saved you from that slow death of oblivion. So you're mine. All of you." He grabbed Xemnas's right arm roughly. "Even your precious – what was it you called him? – oh, your _Diviner_." He purred into the silver-haired man's ear. "Sounds delicious."

Xemnas smoothly jerked his arm away from the other man and turned around. He held himself up, proud and indignant, and fixed his best cool glare on the Evil King. "You stay away from him. You and your puppet both. Do you understand me? They're part of my Organization and thus are _mine_, not _yours_." He sneered fiercely, but this seemed to have little effect.

Ganondorf just flashed a smug grin. "Well, I'd keep an eye on your precious _Diviner_. My 'puppet', as you call him, seems to have it out for the uppity bluenette. Good day, _pet_." With that, he left Xemnas there, seething and wondering if he had underestimated Ganondorf's intelligence level. He certainly was cunning, and clever. And what was that about Saïx and Zant? They hadn't been getting along very well… what was Zant up to?

Well, he had to _find_ Zant first.

.oOo.

"So that's why you're still here. You just wanted to talk?" Rusl nodded. "I swear. I don't fully trust you, what with you and your fascination with the color black, but your words don't sound false."

Zexion nodded and stood back, Link taking his place by Rusl's side.

"It's been a long time since we took a walk in the forest, huh? Yes, and how our world has changed…" Sora looked around. It had changed a little, but not much. This world was lucky they got there when they did. "Say…Do you know about the far side of this deep gorge? Some say there is an ancient temple deep in the woods that guards a sacred power.

"The ancestors of the Hylians created the temple… Signs of their civilization – ancient, but very sophisticated – are everywhere. If someone could obtain the power of those ancient people… Well, I am sure it would go a long way toward saving Hyrule."

Link nodded. "I'm sure it would. My friends and I were actually going to investigate that very thing. We have our own methods of reaching it, I promise you."

Rusl nodded. Then he removed his helmet and looked at Link in the eyes for what seemed an eternity. Then he smiled. "I hope you find something, really. Good luck, my friend. I'll be at Telma's bar, waiting for word! You'd better bring me some good news, my friend!"

Then he walked away, headed for Lanayru Province.

So they traversed the gorge the hard way (Sora called it 'a test of their skills') but in the end it wasn't really that much of a challenge.

They stood at the entrance to the grove as old winds blew and tossed dead leaves around their feet in swirls. The wind blew into their bones and replaced a sort of hollowness to them, as if they were light and gravity meant nothing. There was an air about the place that was different before. It felt… ancient. It was only a moment later that they entered the door.

Only to encounter the Skull Kid.

"Aw, shoot! Not that thing again!" Donald cursed as he whacked at some of the golems he'd summoned to attack them. Sora looked around. "That's strange. It's dark now… wasn't it light before?" He was in his Flight Form again, the symbols on his green surcoat glittering slightly.

"Does it matter?" Zexion asked as a flurry of pages whipped around him angrily, slashing through whatever they touched that wasn't friendly.

Sora shrugged. It didn't matter. So he summoned his Keyblade and fought.

The Skull Kid was easier to find than before, both because Link was human this time around and so he could use his bow to shoot the creature off his perch whenever they came across him. Again, they were led into the cavern where they fought him off before but this time was a tad difficult because he was so _good_ at hiding.

Blasted Skull Kid.

But, when the Skull Kid finally let them go and light returned to the area, they heard a voice say, "Hee hee hee… That was fun! I'll tell you what: I'll let you into a secret place!"

And then a new area was revealed to them.

There was a very old looking door standing there at a downgrade of what looked to be the remains of a staircase. Link touched the statue in front of it gently, his fingers barely ghosting the cool metal. But as soon as they did, a sort of shock jolted through him, and he felt compelled to return the sword to its pedestal, if only for a moment. So Link ran.

Sora called out for him, but there was no stopping him. A few seconds later, the statue disappeared, allowing them to open the door. Link ran back out, but a horde (just three, actually) of Messengers rained upon him from the skies, and several Neoshadows and two Dusks attacked him, and he felled them all quickly.

Sora blinked when he came back up.

"How did you do that?" he asked, skeptical. Link grinned. "I don't know. I just.. did." Sora looked at the sword, which was glowing softly, in what seemed to be happiness.

"Well, let's see what's behind this door, shall we?"

Link looked at it. "Behind it?"

Sora nodded. "Why else who is be put here with a statue that can only be removed by striking the pedestal of the Master Sword strategically placed in front of it?"

Link realized Sora had a point.

So they both grasped the handles of the door and entered it, their friends following quickly.

* * *

Ooh.. the plot thickens! What IS Zant up to, hmm?

Yes! It's done! (Long story, but, well, enjoy it.)


	18. The Temple of Time

Chapter Eighteen: The Temple of Time

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 18

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: (holds up Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days) I bought this - well, actually, it was bought _for_ me, but whatever - so, _this_ is mine. The franchise? Not really, no.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

After this I must then go it on my own. No visual assistance. Ugh. Well, whatever, I can manage pretty well now that I'm somewhat close to the end. (Scratch that. He finally updated! W00t!) There's not much else to say other than on with the fic!

* * *

Sora did not expect to walk through the shimmering gray barrier to see _this_.

High, beautiful, vaulted, braced ceilings of stone, a wide, grand staircase of polished marble as well as floor and several lush red carpets and stone carvings that often sat on both sides of the temple in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

Zexion almost gasped. "Why, we've gone back in time! This must be what the Temple of Time looked like when it was first built!" Sora was still staring at the ceiling but muttered softly, "Well, the second temple anyway. Didn't you say the first one disappeared?" Zexion nodded. "That I did."

Donald inspected the floor. The marble glittered with inlaid metals and crystals giving a very sophisticated look to it. "I can't imagine marble fading away to dust like it was in the temple ruins…" Goofy crossed his arms.

"Well, it may just be covered in dust and grass and dirt and stuff from many years. After all, we don't know how long it's been since it was last entered. Or exited." Link nodded absently. It was strange. The door behind them was closed, but if someone from this time were to open it, would they be able to see them, or the other way around? Or both? Could anyone even enter it while they were here? Thousands of these questions floated around his mind stuck in a mental whirlpool.

But then he saw the empty Master Sword pedestal and all the questions ceased. He was suddenly gripped by another need to strike the sword in its resting place one more time. He walked quickly, managing to tell Sora and the others this time before he couldn't help himself any longer.

He unsheathed his sword and struck the pedestal.

There was a shift in some sort of power that resided in the temple, and a set of translucent glowing stairs led up into one of the stained glass murals. He took the sword from the pedestal and sheathed it again, walking up the strange stairs, which held his weight. His mind was reeling with the excitement of the explore, and he was even more excited when the mural disappeared to reveal a passageway behind it!

Just as he was about to take another step, he heard a faint, familiar clucking, frantic, too. He turned just in time to see Ooccoo and a little flying head that he could only assume was her son pass him at a fast pace (or fast for what he assumed was the maximum speed of their species). And they disappeared through the passageway.

"So do we follow?" Sora asked quietly, slightly amused and confused at the sight of the little bird-creature.

Link nodded, not saying a word.

The room they eventually found themselves in was enormous. Golden inlaid objects were everywhere ("Don't even try to take one, Donald," Sora teased), two sets of staircases spiraled around to the back and a single, huge bronze bell structure stood proud and tall smack dab in the middle of it.

"What a beautiful bell," Goofy observed, "Zexion, sir? Do you know what it's for?" Zexion flipped through his lexicon quickly and seemed surprised when he actually found what he was looking for,

"It's used to transport large statues up and down the floors of the temple using something called the Dominion Rod, which is at the very top."

Link was walking over to the other end of the room, and when Sora noticed he was over there, he waved for the others to follow. Link looked at the statue on one side and the blank space on the other and something seemed to connect in both his mind as well as Midna's.

"Don't you think there's something odd about that statue?" she observed quietly. Link looked up at her as she floated above his left shoulder. "In the grove and in the temple entry, there were always matching ones on each side, but there's only one here…"

Link nodded. "That other statue must be at the very top of the temple where the Dominion Rod is. We should head that way now."

Sora looked over to the door above the one they'd entered. He was staring at what he'd thought were staircases, but instead were ledge too high to climb. He could always fly and help everyone else up one by one but it would take too long… then he noticed a golden switch on the floor. He slid a nearby pot onto the switch with his foot and voila! Stairs appeared.

He grinned sweetly to himself as Roxas nuzzled affectionately against his soul. Zexion huffed. "Looks like we're going up that way. Good work Sora." He patted his hair and closed his lexicon as he followed.

Link obtained a key and they began to head up the stairs but two little creatures stopped them in their tracks, which by now they knew very well.

"At last! This is it!" the little bird creature cried, "This is where I've been trying to get to!" Sora squatted down low. "What is it that you've been trying to find, Oocoo… Ohka…"

"It's Ook-koo!" Ooccoo flapped, exasperated. "Anyway, the ancient technology of our people sleeps in this place." Sora tilted his head. "It can't be the Dominion Rod, could it?" Ooccoo shrugged her petite little shoulders. "I can't say for sure. I never knew what it was called; only what it looked like. We've searched all over, my son and I, and now we're so close, I can _smell_ it! Once we find that thing, we can go home at last! Oh, gracious, yes!"

Sora smiled slowly. "Well, if it does turn out to be the Dominion Rod, might we borrow it for a while before you return home?" Ooccoo nodded fervently. "Anything to help out those who helped me!" And so she wriggled once more into Link's pocket and they were off again.

"Gah! More spiders! Ugh!" Link laughed at Sora's expression as they walked out of the corridor. Zexion just rolled his eyes and let his pages tear them apart in a flurry of sharp slicing paper.

Goofy picked up a pot from one of the higher ledges ("No, you big palooka, take one of those bigger ones!" Donald shouted) and set it on the switch in the middle of the room. It opened up the intricate gate to their left, and let a spider through, which Sora promptly torched upon its entering the room. They walked through the gate, shot the pot holding it open which opened another gate barring their way.

_Then_ they walked up the stairs and exited the circling hallways into a new area with three armored Lizafols.

Zexion was delighted to let his book devour their energies with the sharp sting of the pages within it. There also happened to be a strange-looking statue that they couldn't quite figure out was for.

"That," Zexion flipping through his book, "would be a Armos Knight. Get close enough to one and it will come to 'life' so to speak. To destroy them, hit the jewel in the back until it shatters. Though this isn't usually hard because the jewels shatter easily."

He closed the book. "Might as well give it a try."

Everyone else stepped back except Link who looked back and said, "Hey, you're not going to help? Fine, next time one of you needs your ass pulled out of a fire my hand is not going to be helping whatsoever." He scowled, but they all knew he was just kidding.

Link drew his sword and stepped closer to the Knight. There was the strangest creaking sound and an odd howling before the eyes of the Knight glowed blue and its hammer fell down to the ground where Link had been standing only moments before. However, this was not a fast opponent, and thus could be moved around very quickly to shatter its jewel in mid slam.

The hammer catapulted out of its 'hand' and nearly hit Sora, embedding itself in the wall. Link stood there, smug, as he held the map in his hands.

"Okay, we get it. Next time we'll help out." Sora hissed coolly. Link laughed.

After some figuring, they went up the stairs and down the hallways into a spectacularly decorated room with three floors and an electrical gate in the middle, fencing off the baby spiders inside. Sora didn't know what they were for, but he was glad he was on one side of the fence and they were on the other. They ascended the staircase, whacking Lizafols on their way, entering the next door they came to.

It was a beautiful room like all the others. The stonework and gold inlays were expertly done with delicate finishes on every surface. The windows were simply beautiful as the 'light' shined through them, giving the temple interior a very bright feel, yet somehow dark at the same time.

They had to navigate a complex maze of stone walls and Beamos statues (these ones were prettier than the ones in the Goron Mines, but were annoying all the same) until they obtained the compass. Sora, just because he could, decided to toy with a nearby Beamos, and accidentally caught Donald's tail feathers on fire.

Yeah, oops.

Donald chased him past the Lizafols and around several breakable pots over two stone barriers and one electrical fence. At the very end as Link was staring at them with an expression that plainly said, "How in Din's name did they do that?" while Zexion's lexicon shredded the Lizafols to nothing.

He looked back at Goofy and then at the sizzling Sora and Donald at the end of the stretch of floor. "What… just happened there?" Goofy shrugged. "Beats me." Midna had her face in his right shoulder, trying very hard not to laugh.

Link aimed his bow and arrow at the jewel that moved the different stone barriers, killed off the enemies and proceeded through the maze. However, they opted out on heading the way Donald and Sora had come and decided to use the safer yet time consuming method of shooting the jewel to make it turn red, and re-shooting it to make it turn green.

The following room contained two giant, shimmering golden scales, a sweeping stone staircase on the left side of the room, shining pillars holding up the ceiling from crashing down to the beautiful marble floor which was littered with little statues, spiders and other enemies.

Zexion and Sora teamed up with a double attack of flurrying keyblades made from paper as well as Zexion's lexicon papers to shred the baby and bigger spiders alike while Link tackled the Helmasaurs.

Once the area was clear of enemies, Zexion flipped through his book.

"The Scales of Justice are one of the many trials guarding the… hey, why didn't you tell me about this before! Gah… whatever." Zexion scowled as Donald and Goofy snickered in the background.

Zexion ran a gloved hand through the hair shrouding his left eye and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he read, "The Scales of Justice can be surpassed if one is clever enough to match the weights." He looked around. "I guess it means us, and these stone statues here. Let's each take one and see what we can do with them."

It took some doing, but eventually (after a very, very, VERY long time) they got it working and arrived in front of another one of the 'prettier' Beamos statues, which was circled by several spinning spike traps.

Link decided to put the Beamos statue out of its misery (actually he did it so he wouldn't have to listen to Donald complain about his tail feathers being singed _again_) and they headed up the steps, killing Gamblers and Lizafols as they went.

"Gamblers…" Sora whistled softly, "I guess Luxord really is here, huh?" Zexion grunted. "I suppose. The Gambler Nobodies are a telltale sign of his presence."

Sora could tell that Zexion didn't like Luxord, Luxord didn't like him, or it was something else entirely that he had a sneaking suspicion about.

_Does this something involve Demyx?_ Roxas inquired softly. _Probably. But it's not my business to ask anyway._ Sora could practically feel the grin seeping through their separate souls. _That's my Sora._ Sora. Not his other. Did his- did Roxas consider himself his own person, heart and all? Sora wondered this thought as loud as possible in hopes of an answer from Roxas, but there was silence, for once. But it didn't trouble him at all. Roxas sometimes shut off the connection so he could conserve a little more energy so that soon he could be a separate consciousness as well as a person; permanently.

So Sora scrambled through the maze of traps and monsters until they arrived at a huge dome shaped, cylindrical room at the very end of which sat the statue they were looking for.

But a strange armored figure stood in the very center of the room. Echoic, metallic sounds came from it; this thing was alive…

…and probably hell-bent on killing them.

Zexion stopped them before they moved any closer. "That's a Dark Nut. They're knights that guard precious items of value, and they're very quick on their feet, despite all that armor. Be careful, for my pages and words cannot help you here."

Link nodded as they all progressed slowly.

When they were close enough the warrior gave a sharp grunt, and turned around, wielding a huge golden shield and feinted a warning slash at them to display its strength.

It didn't take too long for Donald and Goofy to be thrown against the walls from several powerful impacts. Not only was it strong, it was smart, and it was going for Link next. Link was faster on his feet, but he hadn't he strength to perform a rolling slash.

"Sora!" he called, "Use your Aero Blade attacks so I can get in for an opening!" Sora, who was in his Flight Form, nodded, and the Master Key glowed a soft white as it shot out of his hand like a rocket. It zoomed in close on the startled Dark Nut and quickly parried the warrior's weapon out of its hand. As it was returning to Sora, Link thrust his shield against the Dark Nut, which offset it even more, and preformed the killing blow.

The warrior fell in a loud cacophony of metal noise, armor clattering and disappearing as the essence of the monster began to ebb away.

The golden gate opened, and Link obtained the Dominion Rod.

"So how do I use it?" he asked Zexion once he had it in his hands. Zexion flipped through his lexicon as Sora went to check Donald and Goofy. "Just concentrate on its energy and throw I mentally towards the stone and/or other materials you are trying to animate." He looked up at the statue.

"Why don't you give it a try?" Link snorted. "Do we have much of a choice?" Zexion flashed a rare wry grin. "I suppose not."

So Link cast out the glowing green ball of energy towards the statue, and it stayed inside the center, glowing fiercely. Link stared at it. "Now what?" Zexion glance towards the golden bell at the right of the room's center. "Try moving in the direction of the bell. Maybe the statue will move with you."

Link moved no less than five paces towards the bell when the statue dropped with a thunderous THUD on the stone floor. Link stood stock still, every single nerve a live wire. "That was supposed to happen, right?"

Zexion grinned again, this time chuckling as well. "It's still intact, isn't it? So I suppose that was supposed to happen." Link scowled, and walked until he was inside the bell chamber. "I can't make it come any further. Do I call the energy back and walk to it to bring it through?" Zexion nodded. "That's what my lexicon says to do."

So Link called the energy back to the Dominion Rod and walked behind it so that he could walk it straight to the bell without having to stop again. Once it was on the golden stand, the bell glowed, lowered itself over the statue, came back up and the statue was gone. Link blinked.

"Don't worry, it was supposed to do that. The statue's only reappeared on the next floor down. It's the only way to transport the statue down all these floors to the temple entrance." Link nodded. "All right. We've got a lot more floors to go through, so let's hurry this up, huh?"

Going back down, while a bit of a hassle, was actually kind of fun.

Link figured out that whenever he slashed the Dominion Rod like a sword, the statue's hammer slammed on the floor. He then proceeded to destroy everything he could with the statue, including the pesky Beamos statues and restricting gates.

"You're having way too much fun with this," Sora muttered as Link was practically giggling like a schoolgirl over the power he had using the statue. He looked back at Sora. "Do I look like I care?"

Sora laughed quietly and shook his head. "Not really, no."

But he had to admit, seeing all the baby spiders run for cover from the statue was frickin' hilarious.

Time elapsed; and suddenly the statue was back in its place at the front entrance of the temple, the great golden door glowing softly before them opening up; dust rustling through the ancient light cascading through the windows of the past.

There was a door at the end of the musty corridor; the door that led to the penultimate room before they reached where the center of evil lay.

They entered it; the door closing behind them with a quick snap! Sora whipped around, equipped as many Strength items as possible, and attempted to pull the door open again. Link looked back, confused, but realized Sora's panic once he tasted the air. It was stale. He looked beyond, towards the boss door. There were several swinging axes, spinning spikes, rolling logs and perhaps even an enemy or two lurking around somewhere.

One thing was for sure; this room was death trap.

He turned to Goofy. "Hey, if you can pry Sora from that door, let him know that we can't stay in this room much longer. We have a limited supply of air and if we don't reach the boss door before we run out we're done for. Got it?" Goofy nodded. Link looked at Donald. "You too. Zexion, come with me."

Link and Zexion proceeded to bolt across the room at record speed while Donald and Goofy attempted to shake Sora from the door.

"Sora!" Goofy cried, "We need to hurry! We're loosing air in this room and we need to get to the boss door before we run out!" When he didn't respond, Donald blasted his butt with a Firaga spell and quacked rapidly, "Sora! Pay attention!"

But what finally snapped him out of it was Roxas's cool tenor cutting through the haze with: _Sora. Link needs your help. Stop fussing with the door and move your ass!_

That got him moving.

Finally Sora was weaving through the traps with Donald and Goofy following him closely, his Strength enhancers back where they belonged and with several questions for Roxas.

_What was that? I couldn't move…_ Mentally, Roxas shrugged. _Must be the time magic messing with your aura. You still have a bit on you from your last encounter with Luxord, I think. Could be potentially problematic. _Sora physically raised an eyebrow as he ducked quickly to avoid a swinging axe. _Problematic how?_ Silence. Finally, Roxas answered quietly, _He could have some amount of control over you seeing as that's… his element._

_Wonderful.__ At least you had a warning, right?_ Sora just sighed as he landed sturdily on his feet right in front of Link and Zexion, Donald and Goofy following soon after.

"Um, I'd just like to warn you that I've still got some time magic residue from the last time we tangled with Luxord, so if I start to act funny, just focus on Luxord and avoid me at all costs." Link raised a quizzical eyebrow while Zexion sighed. "I was afraid of that, but… at least we know now." Sora shrugged. "Let's just get it over with." Link nodded sharply, fingering with the Boss Key he'd picked up on their way down the temple, unlocking the door and opening it so they could enter.

It was very dark in the boss room, but several rays of light cascaded through the shadows from three circles in the ceiling, letting air circulate throughout which left the room nice and cool.

There was no sign of Luxord.

"Hello gentlemen," a smooth accent floated through the gloom, twisting around the light and running helter-skelter in the air. Zexion's eyes narrowed. "We know you're there Luxord. What game do we have to play to send your ass back to oblivion?" Luxord laughed, still shrouded in darkness.

"What game? Why, just a simple carnival attraction, of course!"

Luxord moved out of the cloaking black into one of the circles of light, a fourth one opening up above the motley group of warriors. In Luxord's hand were not his cards, but instead he held a gray Dominion Rod with two nobody symbols on opposite sides of the energy casing instead of the shape of Link's Rod.

"It's simple. I give you another Dominion Rod so that your hero doesn't have to play alone, but one of you has to play for my team as well. Oh, and they die if I do too, so choose carefully." Zexion held his head low. He wanted to push the words past his lips but he couldn't.

"I… Luxord…" Luxord grinned. "Sorry Zexy. You won't be my player. I think I'll take the Key-bearer instead." Sora gasped, and attempted to resist, but the time magic was already taking hold. "What!" Zexion said, outraged, "You said we could choose!" Luxord shrugged. "So? I'm a gambler, Zex. I bluff, lie, cheat, _and _mess with people's heads. Being brought back from oblivion hasn't changed anything."

However, his magic didn't even get the chance to finish the job because Roxas uprooted the energies and gave it another host: himself. Sora screamed. "No! Roxas!" Luxord blinked. Clearly he hadn't expected this to happen. But he was quick on his feet as he tossed a yellow Dominion Rod with Kingdom symbols on it at Sora's feet, and handed the captive Roxas (who was in Sora's Hyrule attire, only it was white instead of black) a Nobody symbol Rod. However, the symbols changed, and became Kingdom symbols as well.

"Well, well Roxas. Thought you could become a Somebody again, hmm? Pity. The Superior thought you had promise. Whatever."

He turned to the warriors again, and snapped his fingers. Zexion, Donald, and Goofy were instantly turned into spinning cards, which hung in the centre of the room, high in the air. "Winner takes all, plus these two booby prizes."

He held out a small spider-like creature and the Mirror Shard. Link held back a gasp. "Rules are to hit the ground with the statues using your Dominion Rods whenever a Nobody symbol appears in front of you. But, two Kingdom symbols will also appear, and if you hit those, you don't get a penalty, your time limit runs just a tad shorter. Yes, time limits. You have fifteen minutes to hit ten symbols or more, from either member of your team. If both teams have member who have reached a number over ten (her he coughed and said something that sounded uncannily like 'as if that will ever happen') the person with the most points wins."

He grinned. "Oh, and the last rule, anything goes when your Dominion Rod is not in use; you can knock out other members, but other members can also do the same to you. Ready?"

Link grit his teeth. "No…"

"Set?" Link eyed the blue colored stone statue to his left while Sora whipped around and found a yellow one that matched his Rod. Luxord chuckled. "Go!"

Roxas, controlled by Luxord, ran to the purple statue, but was slow in getting over there as well as starting up the Rod's energies. Luxord saw this but paid it no heed. He didn't need his puppet to win. He didn't even need to cheat. But, he would if he had to…

Roxas was resisting with all his might. For all his power he kept the energies from being cast from the Rod, knowing he was expending far too much energy than he needed. But if Sora could win, it was worth it.

Link and Sora were having a time. Truly. Link was an expert at quick spotting, and so it was easy to point out which symbol was different, but he was often too slow and missed hitting the target before it disappeared. Sora was the opposite, being quick to spot, but too fast to hit as well as hesitant at hitting to wrong one, because the locations would change at a split seconds notice.

Before too long time whittled away and Sora had only a minute left. He needed only one more point, and he knew from glancing back that so did Luxord, who also had only a minute left. Link had three minutes left and eleven points, but kept going for fear of Luxord catching up. Roxas had five (reluctant) points and five minutes. He was clearly resisting because he was currently doing something akin to the dance from Thriller. (A/N: I couldn't help myself. Too funny to pass up. XD)

A nobody symbol appeared at his feet and he waited a split second before it changed, and somehow he knew where it was would be before it did, so he slammed down the statue's hammer on the ground and reached his ten point mark. Quickly he called back the Rod's energies and ran for Luxord, tackling him and causing his Rod to fly out of his hand.

They dueled properly for a single minute, but that was all he needed. Luxord dropped to the ground. He still only had nine points. "You were bluffing…" Sora said, his mouth open. "Partway." Luxord said, shrugging.

"But if you want to save Roxas, have the contaminated spider bite 'im. It'll hurt like hell, but fuck it. He's yours." He tossed him the spider, which was now about the size of his head. As oblivion began to take Luxord, Donald, Goofy and Zexion were released from their prisons, unconscious but unharmed. "I'd hurry if I were you. Don't got much time." Sora wasted none of it and the spider sunk its fangs deep into Roxas's left shoulder blade.

He howled in pain but instead of being taken by oblivion, he stayed, the spider dissolving away to reveal the Mirror Shard. Sora looked back at Luxord. The grizzly blond gambler gave the Keyblade master a wink and a smile before he disappeared.

Zexion woke up at that point.

"So he knew he was going to lose?" Link shrugged. He had gone over to make sure if they were all right while Sora stayed at Roxas's side. "Sounded like it. If you ask me that sick little game he played was just a way to have a bit of fun before he died." Zexion took in a few breaths, or tried to, but ended up hacking out half a lung before he could speak. "Sure sounds like Luxord. Still, I think it was right not to bring Demyx with me anyway. I hate being turned into a card like that…"

Link grinned. "Glad I won't ever have the pleasure." Zexion groaned and set his head against the soft dirt wall, which was cool to his warm face. "Ugh. More like displeasure… leaves you feeling so feverish afterwards."

Goofy, who was just waking up and catching the end of the conversation said, "That may just be you Mr. Zexion. I don't feel feverish. Just sleepy."

He shook Donald awake. "What, is it over already? Aw…" Link shook his head, chuckling. "Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to have been awake for it anyway. It wasn't very exciting. A little tense, but hardly something that could get a crowd going." Donald folded his arms and pouted. "Aw phooey."

Link shrugged and flashed him a warm smile before looking back.

"Ready to go Sora?" Sora, who was finally picking up the solid Roxas in his arms, stood up. "Yeah. We need to move."

Link glanced at the unconscious Roxas. "Is he gonna be all right?" Sora looked at him skeptically. "Luxord said he would… but he really needs to rest. We should get to Kakariko as soon as possible."

Link nodded and looked to Midna, who had a portal ready.

"We have to hurry…" she muttered quietly. "That spider… who knows how bad it could have been if Luxord hadn't gotten to it first. We could be assembling something truly dangerous here, something that ultimately we'll have to destroy!" Link nodded and stroked her cheek. "But we're fine with that… because it has to happen." Midna, realizing the truth of his words, sighed, but a smile remained.

As thus they all returned to their proper time.

* * *

Gah! I've never had such a long battle scene! It wasn't even really a battle, either. It was like some sick and twisted carnival game…

And oh no! What's happened to Roxas? Will he live? Of course he will! But more drama must ensue before anything else happens! XD Oh, and guess what? I'm sixteen today! Whee! :D (Is gloating because I got KH 358/2 Days… XD) Sorry for the late update. My dad has the same birthday as me and we spent the whole day together. It was nice being away for a change. But… then I had some homework I had to finish when we got back so I haven't even gotten a chance to play it… pfft.


	19. Restoration

Chapter Nineteen: Restoration

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 19

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Um, hmm. I was supposed to say something here... oh, right. I don't own KH! Or Zelda for that matter. I have a t-shirt, though.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Five more chapters! I've never had a story go so fast! Maybe it was my good planning. ^_^

Onward!

* * *

Zant paced back and forth before his master.

"I'm sorry Master, but that's all I could find on these Nobodies. Everything else was just a bunch of equations on how to create a heart or some such. But… I did find something interesting." Ganondorf raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Yes? Well, what is it, subordinate?"

Zant's armor headpiece was off, revealing his quivering lips. "Your favorite, their leader, somehow got it into his head that he was going to create a new world for himself using the power of Kingdom Hearts."

"Which he was unable to obtain…" chuckled Ganondorf. "And he still thinks it can happen? Ha! What a fool. I resurrected him and all of his little friends because I wanted to; I could have just left them there and given you _all_ of my power…" Zant's eyes went wide at the mentioning of more power.

Xemnas, who was cleverly watching from the shadows beyond the doors of the throne room, did his best not to sneer. In fact, he had to do his best to stay completely silent.

Which, considering his 'emotional' state, wasn't hard to do. Saïx's words had hit home rather hard.

So Xemnas just simply thought about how completely egotistical Ganondorf was, and that Zant, though all he really cared about was amassing more power to take over the people of Light, wasn't much better. Why, they were so perfect for each other that they could have been a couple! (This thought, however, did make him shudder.)

"I wonder," Ganondorf mused, "if I could use the remaining power of Kingdom Hearts for something. Hmm… now that is an idea." Zant turned around sharply to his master. "You're serious? What about Saïx? His _Diviner_?" Ganondorf grinned. "When you get the chance, do as you will with him. I, however, have business to attend to."

Ganondorf stood up and began walking towards the double doors. Xemnas undoubtedly made a quick, soundless getaway. Whatever this business was, he was sure it had something to do with him.

.oOo.

"Hey! Wait! What did you do the to Dominion Rod?" There was a period of silence as Midna waited for a response. She shook her head. "She's gone," Midna said with a sigh. Link turned the rusted Dominion Rod over in his hands.

"I suppose," she said as she floated back to him, "a useless rod is just more baggage, but… what are you going to do?" Link looked back at Sora, who was holding onto a shivering Roxas tightly. "I'd like to go to Kakariko, but we can't warp there right now… perhaps the gorge would be better…" Midna nodded, but was puzzled by something else Ooccoo had said.

"Didn't she say something about returning to the sky? The last mirror piece is also in the sky… maybe if we restore the power to the Dominion Rod, it'll actually help us!"

Link nodded. "But first, the Gorge." Midna's gaze flickered upon Roxas for a moment before nodding. "Yes, let's go there first." She straightened and looked sharply at Zexion. "Take Sora and his friend to the gorge using your portals. I'll take everyone else." He nodded. "Let's make haste, then."

Zexion took Sora by his collar and swiftly led him through a portal of darkness. Midna warped the others using the Twilight Portals.

Once they were all safely there, they heard a voice call out to them. "Hey! Link!" To their surprise, once they transformed back into human forms, they saw the young postman running down the dirt road as fast as his legs would carry him.

He stopped at their feet, panting profusely. "Sorry about getting it wet, I accidentally dropped it in the Hot Spring… so foolish of me… but here it is, it's about that girl, they said. The one in Renado's house." Link snatched up the semi-dry letter. "What? Ilia…?" He opened the letter and skimmed its contents quickly, and then gasped. "It's about Ilia's memory. Renado says there might be a way to restore it!"

Goofy chuckled. "Gawrsh. Guess you just had a feeling about coming here, huh?" Link was still staring at the letter, but then looked back up at the path to the village. "Yes, I suppose. Let's go see what he wants… and find a place for Roxas."

Sora's grip tightened slightly on his pale friend. The sun's warmth was helping lessen the shivering, but he still didn't look well.

For once, he didn't say anything.

When they entered the shaman's home, Sora was the first to speak. "Renado, please, I need a place where my friend can recover. I'd like to stay with him, if I can…" Renado, speechless, laid a tender hand across Roxas's sweat-soaked forehead. "And you're sure he'll recover?" Sora nodded fervently. "Yes, he just needs rest. Please!"

Renado met Sora's eyes, and then let his guard drop a little. "Very well. Colin will take you to the inn where you last slept. He can recover there. You may stay with him, and take him up to the Spring to relax, if you wish. I hear it helps speed up recovery."

Sora nodded softly. "Thanks. You've really helped us out so much." Renado's lips turned upwards into a faint smile. "It was nothing. Go on. I wish to speak with Link."

Donald and Goofy decided to stay with Link just in case he might need their help. So Renado turned to Link as he stepped forward, Ilia standing off to the side on his left. "Fortune has smiled upon us, my friend. If things go well, then we should be able to restore Ilia's memory!"

Link nodded. "That's good news… but exactly how are we going about doing this? I don't have a lot of time…" Renado nodded, chiding himself for his exuberance. It had been a breakthrough in days of research… he could only react in a human way after such frustration. "Well, do you know Telma's friend Shad?" Link nodded. "Yes, we met. Briefly."

"Well," Renado continued, "it seems he is researching the heavens, and he has come here to see the statue in the basement of the sanctuary. And, as I have learned, when Ilia was saved, she overheard someone talking about the rod of the heavens, or something like that…"

Link was puzzled. Rod of the heavens? Why was that so familiar…

"The Goron elder believes that to help her regain her lost memories, we must piece together the fragments of her past…"

Link glanced at Ilia. Internally he was debating with himself whether he should pursue this road of action instead of finding a way to the heavens, but since, somehow these two events were linked, he would eventually stumble upon a way to do that… so restoring her memory might just be the way to go.

"So…" Link said softly, "We should we our way back to the very place where Ilia lost her memory. I know it sounds simple, but it's an extremely complicated process."

Renado nodded. "Telma was the last person to care for Ilia, was she not? Perhaps she might know something. Take this letter to her, if you will."

Link did so. "I do my best to ride swiftly." He didn't mention the Portals.

Quickly, he left the sanctuary with Donald and Goofy and Midna portaled them both back to Castle Town.

.oOo.

Two days passed.

Sora was often at Roxas's side, stroking his hand or speaking to Axel, whom Zexion had fetched after Link left to find Telma. He had gathered he'd need someone to talk to and Zexion knew he wasn't much for conversation. He and Demyx were currently off gallivanting somewhere trying to dig up some more research about the City in the Sky, because Zexion's lexicon was of no help at all save for providing the name and a few useless details.

"So you two want kids?" Sora yelped out of his seat, half falling on the wooden floor with a thud. "Axel!" Sora cried out, soft and angry. "Why would you ask that? He's content in being with me, all right?"

Axel chuckled softly. "I was only kidding, kid. Sheesh. Really, you two are good for each other, but you know, someday, who knows what you'll long for, you know?"

Sora scowled. "That someday isn't now, Axel." Axel nodded. "Sure, sure, I was just trying to cheer you up. Roxas is my best friend; I know he's going to make it through. I am worried about your sanity however."

Axel leaned back in his chair and grinned.

Sora's lips turned upwards into a very small smile, and then a small chuckle burst from them. He granted Axel a quick glance. "Thanks, Axel. I guess I shouldn't worry so much."

Axel nodded. "He does look a bit pale, though. Maybe he's cold? I suggest you find a way to warm him up so the poison can run its course." Sora, who didn't see Axel's conspiratorial grin, frowned. Roxas did still look as pale as he'd been the last two days, but he was at least solid. Maybe Luxord's magic had done something to him?

After all, none of Roxas's spirit lingered in his soul. He sort of missed having him in his mind where he could keep track of his friend.

It was some moments before he realized Axel was gone.

He looked at Roxas again. He could always use his own body heat and slide into the bed next to him… yes, that might work. So he did so, lifting up the sheets and spooning up against Roxas. Despite his pale pallor and chilled look, he was actually quite warm. But when Sora lay next to him, this sort of balanced out and Roxas began to stir for the first time in days.

Sora waited for his awakening. It happened slowly, with Roxas opening and closing his eyes, wondering exactly why he felt like crap. "Roxas?" Sora's soft tenor whispered. Roxas turned on his back slowly.

"Sora… what exactly… happened?"

Sora twirled a lock of blond hair as he thought. "Well," he began, "the rules of the game Luxord set were that both teammates of the losing side would be sent to oblivion. But he gave us a contaminated spider that would stop the process completely. However, it would be painful."

Roxas scoffed. "No wonder my ass feels like it's on fire." Sora couldn't help but laugh. "Anyway, you sort of fainted after it bit you and you've been asleep ever since." Roxas nodded, then hesitated.

"Hey, do you mind getting me something to eat? I'm starving!" Sora laughed again. "I'd think you would be, it's been two days!" Then he frowned. "Two days… Link should've been back by now. He went to investigate something related to Ilia's memory in Castle Town but hasn't come back." Suddenly there was a great commotion and Sora could hear Colin's happy shouting as he thudded up the stairs.

Sora looked at Roxas, and Roxas did the same. Sora had just enough sense to fly out of the bed and onto the floor before Colin came into the room.

"Link's back!" he crowed, but then noticed Sora on the floor, cringing, and Roxas who was finally awake, but slightly bewildered. "Um, Sora? Are you okay?" Sora, who just managed to put his right arm on the chair, looked up at Colin, breathless, with a crooked smile on his lips. "Yeah, Roxas just surprised me that's… that's all."

Roxas cringed at the bad lie, but Colin didn't notice. "Oh, well, hurry up and see Link! He's got something from the Castle Town!" Sora raised an eyebrow but shrugged as he helped himself up. He held out his arms for Roxas a moment later as he said, "Let's go see what the excitement's all about, huh?"

Roxas nodded.

Eventually he opted just to cling to Sora as he limped into the sanctuary, just in time to see Ilia be given a small wooden statue.

She gasped as her fingers touched the cool wood. "What is this…?" She dropped the statue, Link catching it before it hit the floor. Her fingers curled into her hair as she shook in frustration. "I remember something… I was confined somewhere… Yes, and I was saved by whoever was confined with me… and when that person set me free, they gave me this statue…" For a moment, she stopped shaking, but then she stood up suddenly.

"Yes, yes, I remember that much! But that means… that person is still in trouble!" Link nodded. "I'll find them, I promise." Ilia, still an unease, frowned, but nodded quietly.

"I know where that place is!" Gor Coron shouted quietly. "It belonged to the tribe that protected the Hylian royal family long ago. They worked in secret, so they lived in a lonely, forgotten place. But I heard that tribe dwindled in the prolonged wars… If you want to find that hidden village, look for a path leading to the Lanayru province on the far side of the Bridge of Eldin. But… a rockslide blocked the way to the village long ago, so you can't get there anymore."

Link sighed. "So where does that leave us?" Gor Coron smiled softly. "Fear not, little human. Problems like these are not problems to Gorons." He turned around and nodded to Darbus, who left the sanctuary wordlessly. Then he turned back to Link and marked a place on his map.

"Go there. Darbus will be waiting for you at that mark. May you go with great speed." Link nodded, running off with Donald and Goofy following hot on his heels.

"Well," Roxas muttered softly, "how about that meal I asked for?"

The tension in the room broke immediately and Sora took Roxas back to the hotel while Renado prepared a nice, warm soup.

.oOo.

A day later, Roxas was getting a shoulder rub in the hot spring above the hotel. Sora's hands worked into his aching muscles (they were really his!) in a strangely expert manner that Roxas wouldn't have thought Sora was capable of. Sora just winked at him when he asked.

"Kairi used to have back pains sometimes from the constant fighting. I would have her lie down on her back and she'd let me work out her knots. I just sort of figured it out through a little trail and error."

Roxas half chuckled, half scoffed. "And became a wonderful back-rubber in the process." Sora chuckled, thoughts racing through his head that he chalked off as the steamy water messing with him. He leaned in by Roxas's ear and whispered, "I bet I could think of other things to rub…" He slightly nipped Roxas's ear, to which he let out a strangled yelp. Sora nuzzled his nose against the crook of his neck as his hands reached through Roxas's arms and rubbed his chest.

Roxas eyed Sora warily. He was only just coming around to his feelings for Sora, but perhaps Axel was right and that they would…

"Mmm… so smooth. You have like, no chest hair at all, really." Sora moved back in the water, laughing to himself. "Freak." He spat playfully. Roxas turned his head around and saw the innocent sparkle in his eyes. Perhaps Axel was wrong. Roxas smiled softly, and that smile morphed into a fully-fledged grin. "Me, the freak? What about you, shark boy?" He was referring to Sora's Atlantica form.

Sora frowned, then just rolled his eyes. He moved just a little bit closer to Roxas, hoping for their lips to touch when…

"Hey, Sora! Roxas! Link's back!" Colin came skipping up the wooden steps, whistling happily. Sora whipped around, crossing his legs, and Roxas, who had his back to Sora but was sitting cross-legged with his head turned sideways, just froze on the spot.

Colin came up the last step. "Link's back and he's finally got what cane restore Ilia's memory! Come on!" Then he scampered back down the steps.

Roxas turned slightly towards Sora and blinked, clearing his throat. "Someday that kid's gonna see something that'll scar him for life…" Sora shuddered, and gave a shaky laugh. "I hope he doesn't. If Ilia's memory is restored, she'll kill us both!" Roxas grinned. "Or just you." Sora just scoffed as he threw him a towel. "Get dry and get dressed. Come on."

As fast as they could they hurried into the sanctuary. Axel was there, leaning against the wall, and Roxas immediately went over to him and embraced him. "I've got my own self back, Axel," he whispered, before breaking away. "Good for you, Rox. Take care of yourself now. You promise me?" Roxas laughed. "Sure, Axel. I will." Sora stood by his side and watched the scene unfold.

Link took out a charm from his pocket. It was a flute-like object shaped as a horseshoe. Ilia turned the sleek, hollow tool in her hands, her eyes glassy. "I… knew you once…" She said slowly.

Link nodded, but everything else but telling her to keep going. "Yes… this feels so familiar… the scent of hay…" Ilia's green eyes closed softly, the eyelashes fluttering as a memory played behind them. "You… were always there beside me…" she said, still softer than before. Sora could see the children watching through gap in the wood. He smiled in their general direction as Ilia opened her eyes again.

She held out the charm to Link. She remembered him at last.

"This gift was meant for you. It was something I wanted to give you before you left on your journey." Goofy scratched his head. "Well, gawrsh, but isn't it a little late for that?" She smiled. "It doesn't matter. Please take it anyway."

Link did take it. "It's good to have you back, Ilia." She nodded. "It's good to be back." She replied.

He looked around at Donald, Goofy, Sora, Roxas, and Axel, then back at Ilia. Renado and everyone else had left during the tender moment. "Do you know where Shad is? It seems I've forgotten where. Telma mentioned to me that he'd be here." She nodded. "Oh! He's in the cellar. Just head down if you want to talk to him."

Link nodded, and once more gave her that brotherly kiss on the cheek. "Stay safe," he whispered. She nodded and they all followed Link to the cellar.

"Shad!" Link called once their eyes adjusted the darker light and he could see. Shad turned around, quite surprised at Link's arrival. "I want to show you something that might be related to the Occoa." Shad gasped when he saw the tiny journal Link pulled from his pocket.

"What's this? That's sky writing, that is! Where in the blazes did you get this?" Link shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "An old woman in the ruins of the Hidden Village gave it to me." Shad nodded, flipping through the pages fervently. "You don't suppose this could be what breaks the seal, could it…?" He turned to the bird looking statue and held the book close so he could read it.

But after the words had been said… there was no reaction. Shad sighed.

"So it is not this statue… Urgh…" Discouraged, he gave Link back the journal. "Don't give up, sir!" Donald quacked, "I'm sure you'll figure it out!" Shad gave him a weak smile. "I sure hope so my friend. But, I will keep trying on the other statues I have found, and then come back here if I bring up no results. If you would also like to visit these statues, here, hand me your map and I will mark them for you."

So Link handed him his map as Shad scribbled down the locations of the other Owl Statues.

"Well then," he said quietly and quickly, "I'm off! Good luck to you!"

Link watched him walk off, but was jolted when a hum of power pulsed through his pack. He then proceeded to pull out the Dominion Rod, which was once again thrumming with energy, restored to its former shiny blue glory.

"The writing in the book was a spell that imbued the staff with magic!" Midna observed curiously, "Amazing!" Axel cleared his throat. "Well, as fun as it was hanging around with all of you again, I need to check in with Zexion to see if he has everything in order, so… yeah. Smell ya later, guys!" He winked at Roxas, who 'hmphed' softly.

Link nodded. "Just be careful." Axel looked genuinely hurt. "Me? Careful? Since when am I not careful? Oh right… maybe that one time… oh well. Whatever." He shrugged and gave a final wave before disappearing through a portal.

Roxas rolled his eyes and face palmed himself while everyone else just laughed. Then Link examined the Rod.

"This thing moves those statues, right? So maybe we should go to those statue locations and look around." Sora nodded. "Good thinking. So who gets to go?" Link shrugged. "Everyone, if they're up to it. After all, there's only one Rod, so whoever has it is the one everyone else follows, you know?"

Goofy hummed in agreement. "It sure makes a lota sense when you put it like that. I think everyone should go. Even Roxas." Roxas nodded, testing his footing by moving his right foot against the stiff earth. "Yeah. I only just recovered from that spider bite… it would be nice to build my strength up again so I can fight." So it was agreed; everyone would go.

The first statue closest to their current location was at the Bridge of Eldin, so that's where they went. It was sunset when they arrived, but they could still see the statue as plain as day on the left side of the bridge's end.

Donald and Goofy killed off a couple of lingering Moblin Archers that had noticed them so that Link could move the statue without having to dodge all their pesky flaming arrows. Once it was off the ledge Link climbed up onto the ledge and saw that where the statue used to be, there was a glowing green circle.

He walked closer, and once he was at the edge of circumference of the circle, he had this urge to take out the Sky Book and open it to copy down the strange glowing character in the middle. Usually he was one to listen to his urges, as they were often right, so he did so.

Then he realized something: this was a Sky character!

"So these statues hide missing Sky characters, huh? There are five more… if we warp quickly, I think we can get them before nightfall."

So they did.

They arrived back at Kakariko's warp point covered in sand from the Gerudo Desert, but the trip had well been worth the reward. "I hope Shad's back already," Link said absently. "But if he isn't we can always spend the night in the hotel again." Sora nodded, somehow already tired out from all the warping they'd done in such a short time.

Roxas, however, was bursting with energy. So he was disappointed to hear that Shad was not back from his trip to the Statues like they'd hoped. "So the hotel it is then…" He sighed. Sora just giggled slightly and hugged his middle from behind, his warm breath rolling down his neck.

"I'll be with you, Rox." He found he liked Axel's nickname for the high-strung blond, who was currently blushing bright enough for the whole world to see, the moonlight spilling across his face.

Link blinked and stared at the two as they shared a quick kiss. Then he looked back at Donald and Goofy, pointing silently to the twin-like pair in a silent question as if to say, 'When did _that_ happen?' Donald and Goofy just shrugged. Link wondered idly if they had sort of known all along and he had just missed it.

Chances were that's what had happened.

Despite Roxas's anxiousness to keep moving, Sora eventually coaxed him into one of the bigger beds and got him to fall asleep against his chest as Roxas listened to his heartbeat. Sora quickly followed and morning came and went without incident.

They ate a brief, warm breakfast of fried Cucco wings and walked back to the cellar of the sanctuary. To their relief, they did find Shad standing there, waiting for them.

Link called to Shad again simultaneously pulling out the Sky book.

He handed it the Shad. "Is that the book from last time?" Link nodded. "Yes, it is…" Shad pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, though they fell back down anyway. "…Hm? Are there more letters in the word than the last time I looked?" Link chuckled sheepishly.

"Yeah. We visited the statues you told us about and found some Sky characters underneath. I recorded them here so you might make some sense of them." Shad nodded, laughing quietly to himself. "Amazing! Simply amazing!" He looked up, still holding the book. "I must try this new word out at once!"

Link waved him away, smiling slightly. "Have at it, Shad."

So Shad once more held up the book close so he could read it, and he chanted in the strange language of the Occoa. This time, however, the statue's centre glowed green, and then disintegrated into the air, taking on the shape as the other statues.

"Ah!" Shad groaned, gritting his teeth. "What can this mean? And I thought we were done with the riddles…" There was a period of silence as Shad closed his eyes, desperately trying to keep his temper under control.

"…I must apologize, my friends. I need to cool off a tad before I mull the problem further…"

Roxas nodded. "Take as long as you want. Just don't blow a gasket, all right?" Shad gave Roxas and the rest of them a weak smile and a quiet, "Thank you," before heading off again. Link glanced behind him until he was sure Shad was far enough away. "Should I move it now?" he whispered. Donald too glanced behind them. When he looked back he nodded to Link quickly and replied, "Go ahead. Just be quick about it!"

Link smiled softly before turning back to the statue.

He held the Dominion Rod out in front of him, the energy gleaming, and then gave it a nice, quick whip as the energy ball locked in place. As carefully and as quickly as possible, Link moved it to the side so they could have access to the entrance behind it.

They ran down the tunnel, the suspense building in their veins. Sora and Roxas glanced at each other as they ran, both boys all smiles in the excitement.

They were not let down either; because the thing they came to see when they exited the tunnel was a giant, broken cannon.

No one knew quite what to say. They all just stood there, staring at the cannon, made of a light, smooth stone that looked surprisingly new for something that had been down here for who knows how long, or in Goofy's case, the huge dome-shaped room carved entirely out of the earth with no support beams to keep the other dirt from falling. It must not have been very deep below the surface because light shone through a hole in the middle of the ceiling… perhaps that was why.

Then Shad came in, gaping and spluttering at the same time.

"How in the blazes did you move that statue?! And… what's this…?" He almost laughed in elation. "Amazing! Spectacular! This must be the Sky Cannon I read about in my father's notes! I knew my intuition was onto something when it led me here!"

Sora nodded, but something was still bothering him. "But how would you use it to get to the Sky City? It looks… broken." Shad examined the cannon before sighing. "Indeed. I'm no cannon expert, but I can at least say that it is indeed broken." He bit the left side of his cheek as he thought. Link, on the other hand, had the innards of his mind turning.

Hadn't he heard the phrase 'cannon expert' before?

It took him some moments before he remembered, and he almost said the name aloud. The words practically leaping from his lips, he said, "Hey, Shad? I think I know what to do with this, but…" He let the sentence drift, Shad getting what he was saying.

"Oh, am I in your way?" He chuckled sheepishly. "Well, forgive me for not realizing! I should just disappear at times like this, really. So… let me know the results another time, please." Link nodded. "We will, we promise."

Shad nodded, stopping only once to shake Link's hand before he left.

Link turned back to the cannon. "Midna? Would you warp this to Lake Hylia, please?" Midna spiraled up and over the cannon, grinning down at him playfully. "Certainly!" she giggled, sending a shock of energy down the whole of the broken cannon parts. Then, once it was through the portal, she took them along with it.

.oOo.

"You're right," Roxas groaned after they transformed back into human form, "it is quite the sensory experience… very different than traveling through a portal of darkness." Sora just sat there looking smug while Link went to fetch Fyer, the cannon expert.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed quietly as he walked up to it, "It's kind of… retro, huh?" Link shrugged. "We just sort of found it, actually. Thought you could fix it up."

Fyer stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose I could, but… there's no ignition source! You wouldn't even be able to use it!"

Link hummed softly, thinking. "Well, what if it doesn't use one? What if it's pressure sensitive?" Fyer scoffed. "Pressure sensitive? Technology like that doesn't exist!" Link chuckled. "And yet magic does?" Fyer made a series of squeaks and grunts that eventually became a defeated sort of grunt. "I suppose you're right…" he muttered to himself.

"But!" Link's eyebrows raised slightly. "Yes?"

"I'll only fix it for ye fer 300 rupees! No more, no less! You got the stuff?" Link pulled out three orange rupees. "Of course. How long do you think it will take to get it fixed up?" Link noted that it was now almost past noon.

Fyer laughed and then winked. "I'll just be a sec!"

.oOo.

That 'second' took three days.

The first day Link took a much-needed bath in Lanayru's Spring, alone. He stripped down to nothing, and even brought his clothes into the spring to be washed as well. Once he was satisfied with their level of cleanliness, he set them on the dry ground to dry beside the rest of his equipment.

Then he took a breath and dived. He came up some moments later, swimming across the spring to a place where he could prop up his arms and lay his head back to just relax.

For a few moments, he was able to take a few deep, cleansing breaths in silence. Until a light, feminine voice giggled in his ear.

"Bathing completely nude? Now that one's new."

Link, being his typical self, yelped and dived back down, only coming back up to snap at Midna with as much dignity as he could muster. "Wha–Midna! Don't… you… you don't do that to people, all right!" Midna giggled. "But it's fun to surprise you! I like the look that pretty face of yours always gets when that happens." She pouted. "It's such a pity it doesn't happen often enough."

Link put a hand to his chest as he stayed afloat in the deep spring. "You sneak up behind me and nearly scare me to death just to say that? Wait…" he frowned, thinking about what she said, "… you think my face is pretty?"

Midna blinked. Now it was her turn to have her cheeks blaze crimson. Had she actually said that? Link, guessing at what she was thinking by the blank stare that served as her expression, decided to say, "Yes, you did say that." Yet still he waited for an answer. Midna, finally giving up, muttered something that sounded an awful lot like, "Well, it is kind of true…" and then stared intensely at the water.

Then she realized exactly how clear the spring's water was, and she smiled. Perhaps she could at least see that expression just one more time.

"Um, you do realize how clear this water is, don't you?"

And there it was. Complete with a similar blank stare, dripping wet blond locks, and a sexily damp muscular chest, she was able to stare at that expression she loved so much for a few precious seconds before Link's blush went into overdrive and he swam off in the direction of his clothes.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were never able to figure out why Midna couldn't stop giggling that day. Roxas was the only one who even had a clue, and he wasn't telling.

On the second day, they helped out Fyer build the cannon, but somehow managed to get in his way at the same time. By the end of the day, they _all_ needed a bath, and though Link once again opted for a solo bathing session in the spring, he kept his pants on for good measure.

And on the third day, just as the sun was just about to set, Sora sat next to Roxas in front of the spring's entrance, their feet hanging off the edge and dangling in the cool lake water.

"Hey Roxas?" Sora asked quietly. Roxas raised a quizzical eyebrow and muttered a soft, questioning hum. Sora, taking that as a signal to go on, did so. "Um, well, you how when the sun is like this, right before it sets, there's this feeling inside… that you can't explain?" Roxas nodded. "It feels almost like sadness am I right? And yet… it is strangely comforting. Yes, I do feel it."

Sora looked up at the brilliantly colored sky. "Do you know what it means?"

Roxas frowned. It was twilight now, and the world looked nearly as it had when actual Twilight covered Hyrule, with the exception of the darkness. Perhaps… "Perhaps it is because the twilight of our world reflects Midna's twilight. Her home."

Sora nodded. "Maybe."

And they remained like that for a while, just enjoying the comforting sadness of twilight as it faded. When they were tired, they retired for the night as they always did now, with Roxas spooned up against Sora.

.oOo.

Noon of the next day: the cannon was ready.

It looked brilliant. For 300 measly rupees (for with the job the Fyer had done they were sure it was worth far more than that) the job had been extremely well done. The stone apparatus stood on two stone mechanical legs with the same cannon body that Fyer's newer cannon had. It was quite beautiful in the sunlight, the gray stone gleaming almost to a white color. It had many restored decorations that they were sure Fyer had also done just to show what he could do.

Though he had left without too many words, Link noticed the Clawshot target on the inside of the newly restored Sky Cannon. "So Fyer says this thing's got some powerful innards, huh?" Link joked. "Want to see if it works?"

They all agreed. So they held hands, and Link aimed for the target. "Ready?" Sora, at the back of the human chain, called out that he was ready. Link nodded, and then called the shot.

"Three, two, one!"

* * *

Yeah! It's done! Finally! I'm having to use visuals from the Wii version and I'm trying not to mess anything up. (Remember, I wrote this several weeks ago, XD)


	20. City in the Sky

Chapter Twenty: City in the Sky

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 20

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Um... do the words "I have no money" suffice?

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I hated this place… every time you saved and shut off the game you'd have to backtrack to the room you left off in and then connect it to the guide you were using (because in this temple, you need one – it's like Twilight Princess's Water Temple, ugh) and it was just a mess. Pfft. Well, they get a guide.

If you've ever seen UndyingNephalim's Mediator Ooccoo on deviantART, you'll see what I mean by that. I only borrowed the idea; it's not mine either! Really! Okay, on with the fic. :)

* * *

Roxas was flying. And then, he was falling. Fast. Then he was wet, very wet. Completely underwater wet. He resurfaced dramatically, throwing his head back as he did so. Then he was hit by something very round, tan, and feathery.

Spluttering feathers from his mouth, he turned around in the water to see what had hit him, only find: Ooccoo and her son. He groaned.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, trying his best to conceal his annoyance. "We're here because we came home! We're finally home!" she crowed. Her son bobbed up and down in the water calling out, "Home, home!" She smiled happily. "How about since you came all this way, I gave you a tour of the city?"

But the group's happiness was short lived; because a strange flying creature appeared in the distance, and Sora – if he squinted – could just make out its mechanical wings before it let out a deafening roar.

"Ahh!" Sora covered his ears with his hands, using his legs to keep him above water. "It's Xaldin! He's the only one left that'd be crazy enough to come here!" Then the roar died down as the dragon came closer, and closer, and closer… Sora gasped once he realized it's intent. "Swim for it! It's diving in for an attack!"

They did their best to flee, but the dragon dived, it's feet gracing the water with a gentle touch, making contact with Donald and Goofy's clothing. It didn't grab them, per se, but snagged a few loose fibers and snatched them up out of the water.

"Help!" Goofy cried. Donald was simply quacking rapidly in anger.

Sora wanted to, but something told him that following the dragon would do more harm than good. In fact, Roxas saw he was having trouble and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Sora jumped at first, but saw Roxas and relaxed.

Just as he was turning in Roxas's direction, they all heard another Oocca squawk wildly as it ran towards them out of panic. It chattered with Ooccoo, who gasped quietly. "Oh, brave adventurers! You won't believe it! There's a dragon that's been raging outside the city walls!" Roxas coughed. "Really, now? I would never have guessed that." Sora just whacked him lightly.

Ooccoo sighed, her face knit in a telltale sign that she was worried.

Ooh, I'm terribly worried about everyone… I'm going to check the shop for survivors!" And then _she_ left, along with the other Oocca. Link scrambled after them, since he was the closest to the steps she'd gone up. Sora noticed a strange shift in the wind's intensity, and called out to Link as quickly as he could. "Link, stop! The wind's changing!" Link caught his warning just in time so he could duck behind a large piece of stone that shielded him from the wind. Sora and Roxas pulled themselves out of the pool to join him.

"I guess we go in that direction," Roxas said, pointing towards the door Ooccoo had entered, "but we need to be careful of this wind. We don't all have Iron Boots, you know." Link frowned, wondering why he'd mentioned them, but then realized why a spilt second later. "Oh! Right. You can fly, can't you?" Sora nodded. "Using our Flight Forms. You just use the Iron Boots to cross." Link nodded sharply. "Right."

It didn't take but a short while to get to the shop. They opened the door quickly, and entered it before another blasting wind hit them. It was closed just as quickly after that.

Ooccoo and her son, Ooccoo Jr, were sitting just to the side of the counter. Ooccoo was staring at a strange looking set of armor that was quite possibly something for Ooccan use. Ooccoo turned to them as they entered. "I'm sorry for earlier…" she said, remorse deeply apparent in her voice, "so I intend to help you rescue your friends. Please do not deny me this; it would be an insult to my honor."

Sora nodded, eyeing the armor. "So are you coming in Link's pocket again or what?" Ooccoo smiled and ruffled her feathers happily. "Nope! Not this time! If you would kindly put some of the Dominion Rod's power into this armor here, I'll show you what I mean." Link scrutinized the Dominion Rod.

"Um," he said quietly, his lips quavering with uncertainty, "how exactly do I do that? I only know how to put all of it into something." Ooccoo lowered her head enough so that her small wing could brush itself quickly over her forehead. Sora assumed this was the Ooccan equivalent of a face-palm. "Oh! I'd forgotten you didn't know! Here, let me show you." Link moved closer and held it out to her so she could see.

"See that symbol right there?" She tried as hard as she could to gesture at the symbol of the forest that rested at the very top of the rod. Link nodded. "Yes, I see it." She bobbed her head a little. "Good. Now press your dominant hand's thumb over the symbol, no wait! Aim first otherwise it'll shoot on contact!"

Link had been about to press the symbol before she squawked at him. He just blinked for a moment before aiming.

A short beam of brilliant blue light burst from the Dominion Rod's end and made contact with the suit of armor. Ooccoo quick jumped inside the little cockpit clearly made for an Ooccan, and the armor came to life. The veins for the joints and the body pulsed with a strange mechanical beauty and the dress at the bottom lifted up from the ground as the suit levitated in the air. It was quite the sight if you were in the room, for the air seemed to crackle with power.

Ooccoo giggled quietly. "Surprised? How did you think we built this city?" Sora laughed nervously. "How does it stay afloat?" he asked in much the same tone, though he was glancing out the window at the clouds passing by anxiously. Ooccoo sighed and crossed her mechanical arms.

"The city is kept up by wind catchers attached to all parts of the city. And no, the wind does not stop up here, it only intensifies or dies down, but it never really goes away. Hot air rises and cool air falls. When they meet, they create what we know as wind. So can I come or not?" Sora chuckled, glancing at the suit and wondering how exactly it could transform such a sweet creature into something so menacing.

"Sure, you can fight with us."

Ooccoo made a sharp cooing sound that got the attention of the shopkeeper. "I'd like the sword the last Mediator used, if you don't mind. You never know when danger might be lurking in the dark parts of this place." She smiled at the shopkeeper, who twittered back in their strange language. Moments later she had a sword strapped to the stone belt on her hips and they were ready to go. Before Roxas opened the door to exit he glanced back.

"Oh don't worry, I'll be fine. Mediator uniforms levitate so wind gusts don't affect them." Roxas nodded and opened the door so they could exit.

.oOo.

"What are you going to do to us, Xaldin?" Donald snapped.

The room they were in was a wide, circular area that was definitely taller than it was wide. Much taller.

The floor wasn't even all the way done, or at least there wasn't a whole floor going from wall to wall. A large platform stretched from the door to the center circle, which was where they were. They weren't even in the exact center of the circle either.

A large, purple, slimy creature with what looked to be a huge blue mouth with teeth and tentacles was what sat in the middle. This was the Parasite Cage, but it had been modified… so that it could stand the harsh conditions of the City in the Sky. Vexen and Marluxia had done it for him in case Sora ever got this far. Which, Xaldin knew, inevitably, he would.

Xaldin glanced upwards towards the top of the room, large blocks and pillars lining its walls. Another, longer but skinner platform was placed, lining up with another door. The exit door.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Xaldin glanced down at Donald, who still hadn't quite calmed down yet. "Shut it," Xaldin said coolly, "or I'll throw you in the Cage earlier than I had planned." Then he laughed smoothly.

"But that might only increase your cries of help and be an incessant annoyance for me. The other downside is there'd hardly be anything left of you no matter how fast Sora gets here… this new Cage's poison is a lot more potent, you see. But it's not without it's flaws. I'm only hoping he can exploit them, so that he can hurry up and give me what I want."

Goofy looked behind him at Xaldin.

"And what's that, sir?" Xaldin's glance shifted, but his face remained where it had been before. "A good long battle before he defeats me. He's going to, in the end, most of us knew that. Few actually accepted it, though, which is strange, yet I don't really care. Only a few of us were meant to come back for good, and already it's become apparent as to which few."

God, did he love to talk. Xaldin frowned and looked up at the parasite cage. Hopefully Sora would come soon, otherwise he really might just throw the duck inside… or maybe not.

.oOo.

The mechanical sword spun round in a wide arc, telekinetically cutting through the metal of the Lizafolses armor. The lizards jumped back from the threat with a snarl, but they failed to see the double teamed attack that came from behind.

Twin blades beheaded the lizards in one Spin Rush and there bodies fell to the ground, the energy dissolving into the air and concentrating into two purple Rupees.

Link picked them up, fingering them in his gloved hand. "I reckon we make a pretty good team, don't you think?" He flashed a grin at Sora and Roxas, who nodded. He turned to Ooccoo. "You were great too! I didn't even think that you knew how to fight!" Her stiffly feathered cheeks flushed. "I must admit it has been a while, but I knew how to fight even then. It's such a pity our technology is fading; we could help the Hylians so much!"

Link held up the Dominion Rod. "This is proof of that help. Perhaps, I think, it isn't we Hylians that need help, but you." He looked around at the spacious block-shaped room.

"This place is beautiful, but it is well on its way to being in a horrid state of disrepair. Perhaps someday, you could teach this magic," again he waved the Dominion Rod at Ooccoo, "to our magicians down on the land, and we could help you rebuild!"

Ooccoo nodded, seeing the missing spots of stone that lined the floor of this room and many of the rooms before it. Most likely, gaps such as these, which signified their dire need of help, quite a few of them existed in the rooms beyond as well. "Yes, perhaps you are right," she said with a bitter smile, "but for now, we have a fiend to vanquish. Are we ready to proceed?"

Her sword jerked telekinetically as her side, glowing with the same power that held her armor together, as if the accentuate her words.

Again, they nodded. Glancing upward, Link saw a long set of climbing ivy that was graspable. He fired his Clawshot and climbed onto the ledge, pulling down the switch on the ceiling. This activated a wind draft that allowed him to use a nearby Ooccan to ride the draft to the exit door. The others followed his lead to a complex maze of wind drafts.

After completing the maze and finding the exit door, they found themselves staring down into a very large cylindrical room with several ledges on various levels and a central pillar. There was however, no floor at all.

"I'll catch you if you mess up and fall off," Sora said, grinning. Link was not amused. "This was once the central transporting area," Ooccoo informed them, "and it looks like it still is, but it is not used much now." She eyed the wide drafts coming in through the gaps in the cylindrical walls.

Sora looked at the map. "So… where do we start?" Roxas shrugged. "How about the bottom? There's got to be a bottom level to this thing." No one argued. Eventually, after much careful planning on where to go so they could avoid the wind drafts and stay in the tower, they made their way down to the bottommost ledge and entered the door there. Inside was a very round room with a huge gust of air blasting vertically up from the fan towards what looked to be a switch similar to the one that Link had seen earlier.

So he fired his Clawshot and turned the fan off, lowering himself down into the room below as the other flew through the stopped fan's blades.

When they landed, they could at last see the entirety of the room.

It was spacious and square-like, with giant gaping holes on the west, north, and east sides of the room. Blue tiles that would sink down to the earth as soon as stepped on littered the corners – making sure no one could retreat to one for safety. Sora realized at once what the room was before the screech even began. Afterwards, once they were done flinching, he said, "This is a mini-boss room."

The mini-boss happened to be a giant flying Lizafols holding a flimsy sword and a decent shield (which, Link noted, was also a Clawshot target) and wearing what seemed to be armor but had a giant target in the middle of its chest. "Is this thing really trying to get killed?" Roxas said, scoffing.

Twelve Dragoons came flying in from all sides of the room to accompany the Dragon Knight. Roxas promptly shut up afterwards and set his concentration on fighting.

Ooccoo (whom shall be called Mediator Ooccoo from this point forward) brandished her sword telekinetically and slashed it straight toward the torsos of two Dragoons. They snarled, or looked like they were snarling – for they had mouths but no emotions or eyes to display them – and four others charged at her, yet they charged for their death. This left Sora and Roxas to obliterate the other six while Link dueled with the Dragon Knight.

It wasn't much of a duel. In fact, it was quite the opposite, with the dragon giving Link every possible point of access to defeat it. It wasn't long before it fell, having given Link only a single flesh wound across his left cheek, and a good battering to his chest though only one slash actually broke through the chain mail and pierced the skin. The dragon, while it was dissolving to nothing, wheezed softly.

Link stood back, afraid it would do something else, some repercussion of its slow death. But no, for again, it beckoned him. "You, heroes…! The one who commands my fallen comrades wishes me to tell you he wants nothing of you but your best – and that you give him one hell of a fight!" Sora smiled.

"Definitely sounds like Xaldin," he said, grinning. The dragon nodded as it left behind its treasure, its message secured.

Link looked to a high ledge that had opened after the battle's end. A clawshot target adorned the entrance, which he used to move up to the ledge. On it was a chest – one that contained a second Clawshot.

"Amazing!" he exclaimed, "Now I can do this!" He shot the Clawshot towards a spot on the ceiling and then towards a small growth of climbing vine that conveniently hung between two of the fan's blades with the second Clawshot. The other three flew through the gaps as Link climbed back up. "Now that I can move in either direction of that tower now, let's go see what we can find!" Sora nodded excitedly.

They entered the tower again.

Link spotted several targets along the walls, and so happily used his newfound freedom. Mediator Ooccoo grinned. "Your friend seems to like being up so high." She said to Sora, "I wonder what his life would have been like, had he been you." Though he knew she only meant his ability to fly, Sora thought back on their experiences, and thought, save for a few things, it would have been very different, yet it would do Link very much justice to travel as Sora did. Link seemed to like it quite much.

Eventually he came to a switch that he hung from which opened a door flanked by two clawshot targets. Link motioned with his other hand for the three to go inside, and once they were, he shot the second clawshot.

Upon entering the room, Link saw the targets were placed on unconnected blocks that hung on smooth poles. He frowned. "Ooccoo? Do you think those targets will hold my weight? They could fall off at any time, what with how smooth those poles are."

Ooccoo tilted her head as she studied them. "They could, I think, for a few moments, before falling. You would have to move very quickly, and with little room for error. Do not fear; if you fall either of us shall catch you."

They all knew Link would hold them to that.

But he did not fall, and he made it to the other side without losing much of his cool. Though his heart beat about a mile a minute, he seemed very much all right. They quickly found themselves at the outside entrance to beneath the east bridge. Link used the grates to pull himself to the vines on the other side while the others flew. They proceeded to enter the main chamber of the city.

"So where to now?" Roxas asked as they consulted the map, "the west bridge is broken, and there's certainly nothing on the east side that can help us." Link looked at the Double Clawshots. "I think we should go back to west side. Maybe this new Clawshot will help get me over to the other side." Sora cocked his head to the side. "What makes you think that?" Link shrugged. "Can't say. I just feel that we should."

So Link winked and flashed a coy grin before quickly shooting off towards the other side. Ooccoo chuckled slyly. "He's got great intuition. Don't you think so, love?" She was smiling at Sora who glanced at Link. "Perhaps," he said with the ghost of a smile. So they followed his outside.

To their amazement, several huge flying creatures (Peahats, Ooccoo supplied) hanging in the wind. Link's face lit up. "See! Look! I told you that there'd be something!" He laughed to himself in his amusement as he aimed a Clawshot and fired, the chain lodging itself into the base of the creature, which didn't seen to hurt it at all.

Roxas smiled. "Your friend's got quite a spirit," he said quietly to Sora, "it must pick up on things that ours can't, it sees the obvious before it can be seen. How else do you think he could be so quick or so clever?" Sora wondered if perhaps he was right. "It's a kind of magic, do you think?" Roxas wasn't sure. "It could be. But I think we should keep quiet about it for now." Sora nodded in agreement.

The room they entered once they'd made it across was one they'd been to before; right before the bridge broke.

It was rectangular, completely made of stone, of course, and with no floor to speak of at the very bottom. Several ledges lined the sides, which they used to jump down to the bottom ledge that was in view of several sliding pillars emblazoned with clawshot targets. Link smiled. "I think there's more to this place that we thought before. Let's do this!"

There were three targets in this set, and the third target was positioned directly above a landing ledge designed to catch anyone still connected to the target. Link dropped from the target earlier than he'd expected and landed right where he was supposed to, but not a moment before the block slid past him with a whistle as it plummeted to the clouds below. He paled. "Glad that wasn't me," he muttered. "Wouldn't have been," Ooccoo said, smiling wryly, "this ledge is here for a reason. So, where to next?" Link spotted a target that was just within range on the other side. "There! Let's keep going! I think Donald and Goofy are near!"

That got them moving. It took sometime to navigate the maze of walls and switches – so long even Ooccoo was starting to get confused – yet Link never strayed from his course. "It's got to be some sort of magic," Roxas muttered to himself, "otherwise how would he know where he's going without holding the map?"

Soon Link found himself dropping down in front of a golden door. He looked back to see Mediator Ooccoo, Sora, and Roxas fly up and land beside him. "Are they behind this door, do you think?" Sora asked worriedly. Link nodded, so sure of himself without even knowing why. "I'm positive that they are." He grasped the door's handles, and pushed it upwards, walking forward. They all gasped. Sitting there in the centre was the Parasite Cage with Donald and Goofy inside it. Xaldin stood before them, his expression unreadable.

"Save them quickly, will you?" He said at last, grinning, "I anxiously await fighting you." And then he disappeared into the darkness, the Parasite Cage roaring. They all assumed battle positions. "Sora!" Link called, "How do we defeat this thing?" Sora's eyebrows furrowed as his hands gripped the Master Key tightly. "Just whack it with all you got and try not to get hit!"

Roxas scoffed. "That's really helpful…"

Ooccoo whacked him upside his head. "If it's the only way, it's the only way." Roxas, his face flushing, scowled. Sora giggled. "You're cute when you do that." Roxas rolled his eyes. "Enough. We've got a monster to fight!"

So Roxas and Link went first, running in step with one another as the wind rushed through their hair. Just before they could collide with the foul beast, they spilt, going round and slash rolling the back of the slimy behemoth. It roared as poison splashed in every direction. Roxas jumped. "Uh oh! Reflega!" The shield appeared just in time as the poison splashed down like rain, staining the grass and even stinging the beast itself. Sora nodded to Ooccoo. "Let's work together!"

Ooccoo smiled. "Good. I'll lend you my strength!" Sora found himself zooming towards the Parasite Cage in a telekinetic speed rush. Panicking, he slashed the thing clean off its roots, the strength of Mediator Ooccoo filling him. He spun around in front of Roxas and Link, his expression just as amazed as theirs, and watched as she shook Donald and Goofy clean out of it's jaws, and fried the thing in a flash of power.

Sora finished it of with his signature victory twirl of his Keyblade and a, "Wow, Ooccoo, that was amazing!"

She winked, giggling. "Why thank you. Now let's see to your friends, hmm?"

.oOo.

Saïx stood at the royal outcrop in the Twilight Realm, fuming. What was with him? Why did that bastard have such an affect on him? He knew he wanted to say he was sorry for everything he'd said, but – damn him – he just could figure out why!

It was Xemnas's image that floated through his mind at that moment, the broken ghost of the man he wanted to love barely standing outside the shadow of the one he used to be before.

The tortured – oh shit, I made a mistake, deer-in-headlights – look of his.

How it ate at Saïx's newly found heart. He frowned.

Speaking of which, why did he have this feeling he was being watched? Surely it couldn't be Xemnas? Didn't he know when to live and let live? Saïx turned around, searching for Xemnas's aura. But… it was nowhere to be found. Why? His frown deepened as flakes of twilight gathered on his clothing and fell off as he walked along the floor, heading for the waterfall of darkness with his slow, pondering gait.

He stopped, no more than a yard or so away, his head bowed to the ground, his eyes staring at it as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

His thoughts wandered to Axel, those feelings of friendship rebuilt from his willingness to listen, as well as the memories from the days when he was called Lea… if any of that hadn't been present, he wouldn't be here now. Did he like being here, with what he felt? Not exactly. But it was a start. Perhaps he could change Xemnas's mind about his egotistic views and become something a little more… human.

Saïx nodded to himself. It was decided, then.

He looked up to the black waterfall of darkness, his eyes searching it intently. "Come out, Xemnas! I know you're there!" And indeed, there was a stirring in the shadows. Saïx's heart leapt. However, it wasn't Xemnas's face that appeared out of the falling shadows.

Zant giggled in a sickeningly sweet way that made Saïx's skin crawl. "Hello precious. Looking for your lover?"

Saïx stepped back. Then he did it again. He kept stepping backwards, without a thought that he could easily take this coward. It wasn't long before he turned and ran, sprinting for all he was worth. Yet, he didn't get very far. Suddenly he lost control of himself and he fell to the cold stone ground in a paralyzed crumple. The last thing he saw before completely blacking out was Zant's sick, twisted smile.

.oOo.

Xemnas frowned. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Ever since he'd heard that Ganondorf was looking for him he'd constantly been moving. He'd left the Twilight Realm completely and had snuck into the castle, thinking it would be a safe place to rest.

How wrong he was.

Ganondorf was actively searching for him; he knew and wouldn't stop until he was found. So what was he to do? Find Saïx, perhaps. Or the Keyblade master? No, Saïx. He was the main priority here. It didn't matter that Saïx was mad at him now, it mattered that he was safe. Surely, Ganondorf was looking for him too, wasn't he?

Xemnas stopped, stock-still. He was in the courtyard gardens, the trees and grasses caught in this little pocket of time.

It wasn't Ganondorf that was after Saïx.

It was Zant.

He turned around, thinking to run for the portal, but was met by the menacing figure of the Dark Lord Ganondorf. "Why sir," Xemnas asked innocently, "Was there something you wanted to ask of me?" Xemnas was a much better player than Saïx, and so his anxiousness was covered up by his impatience; for how dare someone get in his way of rescuing his _Diviner_!

Ganondorf lips turned upwards slightly.

"Afraid so," he said, sneering gently. "You have something of mine that I wish to take back. Would you care to supply it?" Xemnas raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean my good sir?" Ganondorf snarled with a venomous smile, "Your power."

And then he attacked.

.oOo.

Sora and his motley group arrived at the top of the tower with a gentle thud. The six adventurers stood in a line in front of Xaldin, who studied them curiously. "Now, now. Six of you against little old me? That's hardly fair!" He grinned maliciously as a blast of wind pushed Mediator Ooccoo into his arms.

"Wait!" Sora called, "Don't hurt her!" Ooccoo twitched. In his vice grip she couldn't do a thing! How embarrassing! Xaldin chuckled. "Well, why don't two of you just sit this one out? I think I can take on at the most, three of you. The other three I'll let them off, just like that."

Donald saw the strange glint in his eyes as he said that, and tugged on Sora's surcoat. "Goofy and I will stay on the sidelines and protect Ooccoo. You take him down!" Goofy tilted his head. "We will?"

Donald cartoon whacked him with a mallet. "Of course!"

Link chuckled. "Well, if you're sure about it…" Donald nodded firmly. "We're sure." Link looked back up at Sora. "Let him know," he said quietly.

Sora turned back to Xaldin and shouted, "We're decided! Now let her go!" Xaldin grinned. "Who said anything about letting her go?" Sora gasped. "But– you promised!" Xaldin cackled and then winked. "No I didn't." His spear dragon came flying back, and he jumped on it without hesitation.

It was now, as Xaldin was flying off, that Sora truly looked at their battlefield. It was simply this: a wide, spaced out grassy plain with no means of staying on it besides the four tall grated tower. "Guys!" he shouted back to Donald and Goofy, "Head for one of the towers and stay there! Otherwise you'll get blown off!" They nodded, and quickly ran for the shelter of one. Then he turned his attention to Xaldin.

He watched as he circled the towers once, and then over their little group of three, clearly displaying the silver hook at the end of the spear dragon's tail.

"Link!" Sora pointed out, "Aim for that hook when his dragon gets close!"

Link nodded as he applied his Iron Boots, and the wind began to intensify even more. Sora and Roxas were barely able to fly against the current.

"Roxas!" Sora howled over the gale, "Once Link gets the dragon's tail, we need to fly up to where Xaldin is, and see if we can nail him with our Keyblades!"

Roxas frowned. "But what if we hit Ooccoo?"

Sora grinned. "We won't. Because we'll be using a Double Aero Blade Blitz!" A look of complete and utter dawning came over Roxas and he laughed in spite of the circumstances. "You're a genius, Sora," he said, overdoing the awe. Sora rolled his eyes. "Now! To positions! Link, ready for firing!"

Link nodded. "Gotcha!"

The dragon circled more and more; swooped down low, but again and again Link was unable to land a shot. He frowned as he called to Sora over the storm, "I'm going higher! Be ready for anything!" Sora and Roxas nodded as Link climbed the grating of the towers and onto the top of one. Finally, as the spear dragon hovered in the middle of the towers, Link landed one!

His Iron Boots weighed the dragon down, and it shattered once it came in contact with the ground, becoming Xaldin's six lances once more. The gale became little more than a breeze for a moment as they lay motionless.

Sora and Roxas flew back in opposite directions of Xaldin and then spun around, throwing their Keyblades into the wind the bash Xaldin completely with their Double Aero Blade Blitz. Eventually, he managed to get up with a, "I'm not done yet!" But Sora guarded his attack and stored up as many jumps as he possibly could.

Then he unleashed his fury as Roxas helped get Mediator Ooccoo away from danger. Xaldin fell to the ground with a smile on his face.

"I like your style, kid. Quick, and without mercy. I gotta tell you something before…" Xaldin wheezed, the darkness beginning to take him.

"… well, Saïx and Xemnas are not the enemies here. In fact, you have to help them. So listen," Xaldin said sternly, "go to the Palace of Twilight. That's where you'll find Zant, Ganondorf's court jester. He looks powerful, but believe me, he's not. Just be careful. He doesn't always play by the rules…"

He threw something from his coat pocket towards Link, who caught it. It was the Mirror Shard!

Again, he looked at Sora.

"Thanks for the fight, kid. You actually made it worth my time." Then he winked at Roxas. "Good luck to you as well, XIII. You were always my favorite rookie."

Then at last, he was finally gone.

It was Midna who broke the silence eventually. "Hey, Link?" she asked quietly, grasping the mirror shard, "Do you remember the words of the sages?" Link raised an eyebrow. "Yes… why?" She turned around. "Well, only the true ruler of the Twili could completely destroy the mirror… Zant could only break it into shards… he couldn't utterly shatter it." She was silent a moment before nodded fiercely. "That's proof of his false kingship."

Link tilted his head. A part of him, a very strong part, told him that she was hiding something. Yet… he couldn't figure out what.

She floated off and set a twilight portal on the ground. "Link, we have to hurry! To the mirror chamber!" Sora turned to Mediator Ooccoo. "Will you be able to get back all right?" Ooccoo chuckled. "Of course, sweetling. Just remember to bring back that Dominion Rod, yes? We can make more, of course, but we need the original model to do so."

Link nodded. "Of course I'll bring it back as soon as I'm able."

She nodded. "Good luck then, my precious adventurers!"

So the five (six, including Midna) weary warriors bid their goodbye to the lovely, sweet Ooccan, and then stepped into the portal.

* * *

Gah! Two weeks! Sheesh! But most of this was actually written after said two weeks of procrastination! Pfft. Oh well. Four more chapters! I'm anxiously awaiting the gag reel bit. If you have any ideas, please let me know! And make them funny! They're bloopers, not death sentences! :D

Part 1 in my Thanksgiving triple threat. XD


	21. Palace of Twilight

Chapter Twenty-One: The Palace of Twilight

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 21

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: If all this were mine, I would have made Kingdom Hearts use Hyrule as a world already and made me a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh series. I don't own Zelda or anything else, okay? The only things I own are my characters and my yami.

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I almost forgot to write something here… well, pfft. XD Much Link/Midna fluff in this chapter. Much tension, yes! No kiss yet, that's next chapter! But it will be _very_ dramatic and emotional. And now that I watch these cutscenes from TP I going 'well, even in imp form she's still about three quarters Link's height… not counting the Fused Shadow helm so why couldn't they be together?' but something tells me that beautiful body of her Twili form was the incentive… :D

* * *

Midna asked Link when they arrived back at the lake for one more night. The look in her eyes that just wracked his heart so completely made him all but blurt out, "Yes!" In reality, though, the only thing he could bring himself to say was little more than a grunt of acknowledgement.

He looked back at Sora, frowning as Midna floated away, fixing herself at a spot by the lakeshore. Sora took note of his expression, but realized as he opened his mouth to speak, that the words were beyond him. A quick look at Roxas informed him he hadn't anything to say either. It seemed that night was doomed to be spent in silence.

Link, however, realized that while the night may be silent, he could at least keep Midna company. Silent, he wasn't actually that bad to be around.

Some would argue that it was in fact, better. But no one could confirm it.

Sora, Roxas, Donald, and Goofy sat around a glowing fire as the sunset finished its round and set for the day, ushering in the cloak of night. The moon rose, and Link sat by Midna's side, watching her.

Speaking with his hands, he ungloved his left and brushed the fingertips across her petite right shoulder blade.

Are you all right?

Midna's form tenses under his touch, but welcomes it moments afterwards.

No. But I will be.

Link doesn't need to ask why. But he leaves his hand resting lightly against her skin and he thinks, that maybe he loves her. Maybe this is getting a little too much to handle. He sighs, and she looks back up at him, straight into his eyes. But by the time she manages to meet them, they are guarded once more.

And the silence trickles on.

.oOo.

"So we're headed off to the, what was it… the Palace of Twilight?" It was Roxas that asked as the morning sun was dawning. No time to waste, like always. Sora smiled inwardly; though he was his own person now with a heart or at least something like one, he still carried the standard rigidity of the Organization's missions.

Some habits, he supposed, weren't so bad.

"Yes," Midna said curtly. Not tart or harsh, just stiff. They all knew she wasn't looking forward to this. Neither were they.

Link opened the map for her to point out the warp-point location.

He met her gaze and flashed her a gentle grin. Midna's cheeks flushed and slowly, shyly, she smiled back. Satisfied, he nodded shortly to give her the go-ahead to portal. She nodded back and transported the quickly to the Mirror Chamber.

She quickly changed them back into their human forms and Link practically flew up the steps as the mirror pieces pried themselves off his person and set into the mirror's iron stand. The interior glowed brightly with an intense white light, intricate in patterns that made all the sense in the world to Midna, yet none at all to anyone else. Nonetheless, it was beautiful.

The chains on the giant stone disintegrated and it fell into the sand with a deafening thud. The mirror tilted, and slowly the beautiful patterns lifted from the mirror in several circles; much like a portal. And so they set in the stone, spinning, writhing: patterns glowing that now inset themselves invitingly within the dark rock.

Midna spoke behind them quietly, and they all watched her eyes, locked. "Some call our realm a world of shadows, but that makes it sound unpleasant… The twilight there holds a serene beauty… You have seen it yourself as the sun sets on this world." The words jarred something within Sora and Roxas; the memory of that sunset as the cannon was being built surfacing, the same feeling of strangeness coming over them though the day was far from being over.

"Bathed in that light, all people were pure and gentle…" Roxas frowned. "Something happened, didn't it? Zant?" Midna stared forlornly into the mirror portal. "Yes. Things changed once that foul power pervaded our world…"

It was there she left off, letting the silence sink in. Until…

"It was our doing." Midna's eyes widened and a little life breathed itself back into her. She turned around to see the five remaining sages standing at the foot of the steps in a line, their heads bowed slightly.

"We over estimated our abilities as sages and attempted to put an end to Ganondorf's evil magic… we hope you can find it in yourself to forgive our carelessness…" here, they all bowed to her completely, "…O Twilight Princess."

Everyone gasped and stood away from her as she shyly put her hands behind her back and linked her fingers, though only Link's was slightly audible.

"What?" she snapped gently, quietly, "So… you knew?"

They were silent. The words she spoke next set a mental picture in the backs of their minds, of a dark and dazzling place, and wicked, wicked curse.

"As a ruler who fled her people, I'm hardly qualified to forgive you.

"In our world, we've long believed that the Hero would appear as a divine beast. That's why when I found you, I thought I could use you, Link." She bit her lip, trying to keep the tears from falling: yet still they fell anyway. Link walked up to her to offer as comfort, but she waved for him to be still.

Voice breaking here and there, she said quietly, "And I only cared about returning our world to normal… I didn't care what happened to the world of light, not at all. But after witnessing the selfless lengths that Princess Zelda and you have gone to… your sacrifices… I know now I must save this world, too. There is no other way." For a moment, she stilled, and then she wiped her tears from her face, the remainder splattering on the stone like a light rain. She looked up at all of them, meeting each of their gazes with a burning ferocity that made Link smile. She wasn't _quite_ done yet.

"If we can just defeat Zant, the curse on me will dissolve, and we may be able to revive Zelda." She floated up to Link, her expression set but her body unsure, saying, "Let's go, Link!" Her stare touched everyone again. "And you all as well… my good friends…" She was drawn to Link once more. "Let's go! For Zelda! For all of this world!"

Sora smirked. He could not agree more. The heart of the world was close, but where was it? Doubtless Roxas could feel it as well.

As they departed, the spirits left as silently as they'd come.

.oOo.

On the other side lay a world of twisted beauty; where the moonlight was just beginning and the darkness swimming in an eternal sunset. But there was a distinct grotesqueness about it that did not agree with itself and made it feel so out of place for its entire splendor.

Link took a few steps into the shadowy world to lead them on, until Midna stopped him. "Link? Can I ask a favor of you?" Briefly, he nodded. Regardless of what my reasons may have been, I once abandoned this world… I left behind the Twili. Those who had followed me… who considered me their ruler… even now they remain here suffering, they believe that help will come for this world… but if they were to see that the only help for them was a hideous little imp… don't you think they'd feel let down?"

Link smiled for a moment, his eyes soft and sparkling. "You're not hideous," he whispered, then in a louder voice, "but I suppose that others might think so." She nodded. "It's only for a little bit longer… do you mind if I continue to hide in your shadow while you're in human form?"

He nodded. "No, not at all." He paused, and then a wry grin spread itself across his face. "Just don't go looking in places you're not supposed to!" Midna squeaked as if to say, _I can't believe he just said that!_

But she was grateful all the same.

Once more did Link take the steps to lead their group forward, and he was startled when they came to a creature much like the Messengers from before. "Wait!" Midna called out, wavering by his shoulder, "This isn't an enemy!"

He flashed her a look of incredulousness. "What are they then?" Midna sighed. "Well, they may look different, but… they're the inhabitants of this world… they're my people." Link frowned, turning back to the creature. Indeed, upon taking a closer look, the markings upon the strange, warped things were green, a mellow, non-threatening color not of some of the other ones he'd seen before. "You're right," he said quietly, stunned.

Sora, behind him, looked up at the waterfall of shadows. "You know, I think we should take another route into the palace… that waterfall doesn't look too inviting." Goofy shivered. "Gawrsh! I agree Sora! But where else do we go? We can't go right…" Indeed, there was a big gap between the main platform and the right entrance with no hope of being jumped over.

"Well," Sora mused, "I could fly over with Roxas, but who knows what's in there? We'd have better chance sticking with you guys I think." Donald nodded. "Right! But it looks like that left platform has a pathway leading to it!" Roxas hummed. "Seems like our only option left. Let's go."

They went through the left entrance to be greeted with a battle of four Berserkers and three Twili Deku Babas. Link went straight through them, coming across a huge head of Zant, which made him panic as he jumped out of the way of a bright pink energy ball. "It's okay Link! It's just a head! Use your shield to bounce back those energy balls!" Midna cautioned him. Link nodded and did as he was told, defeating it quickly. As the others were finishing their battles and he'd picked up the key it had relinquished, Link spotted several grates on the walls. They ascended and made their way to the next room.

"Whoa." They all stopped short upon seeing the sea of shadows waiting for them. "I wonder what's so special about this hallway," said Sora. Roxas hummed again. "Maybe not what's in this hallway, but the room after it?"

"Maybe."

Midna nodded. "This hallway seems to guard one of our most precious belongings; a Sol." Donald tilted his head. "Like a sun?" She nodded. "Right. Like a sun. But of course, it works differently than your sun does, and is far more precious because of it. Without the Sols we wouldn't be able to do much of anything, seeing as the eternal twilight, while beautiful, has the tendency to make one want to rest as the twilight does. Forever. The Sols are our inspiration. I can understand why Zant would want to hide them away like this."

Link shrugged. "As long it is makes sense to you, that's fine. How do we get past this?" She shrugged. "Go through it. It'll turn you into a beast, but if you use your beast sight you'll see just fine." She spotted a floating Zant head among the shadows. "You'll need it, too. Looks like there's a few things roaming in that darkness." She disappeared again as Link sighed and walked forward, transforming into a beast.

There weren't any Berserkers here, but the Creepers in the shadows did give them a bit of trouble as they tried to corner in the Zant head. It was eventually defeated, and another two chests appeared. They pillaged the chests and entered the chamber of the Sol.

It was being held in a stone hand like a prison. Midna, wary, jumped when the door sealed itself behind them. "Uh-oh. Be careful, my friends." They all nodded. They took many steps, enough to pass the center of the room before a barrier set itself all around them, and a digital copy of Zant landed in front of them, accompanied by more Berserkers. Sora and the others tackled the Berserkers and the many enemies that the digital looking Zant summoned, and Link of course fought with him.

He did not speak, or even grunt when stricken, but Link guess it was because this was definitely not the real Zant, no matter how much it looked like him. Link dodged a quick ball of energy and rolled around the back of Zant for the killing blow. 'Zant' collapsed in the middle of the room and disappeared into a cloud of dense smoke that littered a portion of the floor.

Link dismissed it as nothing and proceeded to retrieve the Sol.

"Wait!" Midna cried out, touching his arm, which tingled slightly when she did so. "Yes?" he answered. She frowned. "That's a Guardian Hand. It's like a Wall Master, only much, much more terrifying. Why he picked these ghastly things I can only guess. They let go of their quarry easily, but once they're activated, they will pursue you until they reach the limits of their assigned guarding area. Go ahead and take it, but someone will need to keep shooting it with something so it will stay immobile."

Roxas waved his Oblivion keyblade. (A/N: Wasn't it still a Kingdom Key back in Ch. 14? Huh. Maybe Sora gave him the Oblivion keychain or something, XD) "I'll do it. I've got fair aim, and I think my Blizzaga spells should keep it still for _quite_ a while." Sora nodded. "I'll be back-up. Go ahead Link."

Link gave the Hand a good whack and the Sol dropped quickly to his feet. He grasped it and set it in the indent in the middle of the smoke (which fled at the mere presence of the Sol) and the Hand glowed to life.

"Ready Roxas?" Sora asked with a grin. Roxas laughed. "Am I not always?"

It wasn't long before they made it back outside, Link pale-faced and clutching the Sol as tightly as possible. This was partly because once the thing had activated, the way it moved toward him in such a zombie-like state truly was much more terrifying than seeing your shadow come out from under you and grab you whole and so naturally he wanted to get back _out_ as quickly as possible. Which he did by running like a maniac the whole way (as often as possible, since the stairs the Sol activated would only stay stairs if the Sol was in its little niche) and silently screaming.

"I never," he breathed, discharging all the pent up fear, "want to do that _again_!" Sora nodded. "Yeah, really. This place is creepier than Hyrule." Roxas grinned. "Well it _is_ sort of like a dark side of Hyrule, so why should it be any less creepy?" Sora grunted, but could agree with him on that front.

Then Link looked at the Sol and fiddled with it in his hands. "Now what?" he asked quietly. Midna examined the Sol. "The Sols… they are our life, as I said before. Pure energy. Energy that… oh! Would you please take that Sol to the entrance of this world? Please, Link?" He looked up at her, a puzzled expression on his face. "Um… sure." He glanced at the Sol in disbelief, but decided, what harm could it do?

It in fact, did quite the opposite.

The very first Twili he came to shrunk down completely to what he assumed was their normal size. Then he realized why Midna had told him to bring the Sol the front. It would free her people. "So that's what that thing does," Donald observed. Goofy laughed. "Hyuck! It's pretty amazing all right! We should save all the others!" Link nodded.

"Precisely what I was thinking." He grinned. "I think we should work together, just the three of us."

"Hey!" shouted both Roxas and Sora in unison. Link, Donald, and Goofy burst into light giggle fits of which were brief but very enjoyable. He then proceeded to free every good Twili he could find, and then once everyone was free, he stood in between two indents at the entrance. "These look like a Sol would fit inside. Should I, Midna?" Midna nodded. "That's where the Sols normally rest. I don't think it matters which Sol is in which indent." Link nodded, and set the Sol he held into the indent on his right.

Far to his left, a square on the ground glowed. He noticed it, and then thought quickly about the context of Midna's words. "Ah, Midna? Did you say… Sols? As in… more than one?" Midna grinned slowly, hearing the tentative mortification in his voice. "I believe I did, Link." He whimpered. "We have to go through another one of those death traps, don't we?"

She giggled quietly, then again because it was contagious. Upon seeing the defeated glare that gleamed in his eyes as a fire often does at its end, she couldn't help herself. He growled.

"Fine, but _you're_ the one who's carrying that thing!"

In the end, though, he ended up carrying it again, once again running (in place, more often than not, as this 'death trap' was much more complicated than the first) and screaming silently as he did so.

He set the hard-earned Sol down in the remaining indent when they arrived back, breathing out quickly. "There! Now it's done! And I hope to never see one of those things ever again!" Everyone else laughed. He pouted gently and whined. "Not funny you guys…" Then they stopped laughing rather sharply, their eyes focused on the ground. Link, noting this, followed their gaze and gasped. A green circle surrounded in feet, which stood in the center of the Sols, which both had smaller circles around them. Something in his brain moved his hand to his sword and drew it, a light wind ruffling the tuft of hair that stuck out from under his hat.

The Master Sword glowed brightly with a strange but welcoming light, one he accepted with quiet knowing. It had to be the Sols… they had the power to dispel the darkness; he had seen it plain as day even as he ran from the Guardian Hands. It was almost as if they had wills of their own, and were giving him this power to bring down Zant once and for all.

Midna appeared to him and told him that perhaps this was the work of their gods; that he truly was the chosen hero. For once, he realized, he didn't mind hearing the phrase, as long as it came from her. He nodded, and then looked to the looming citadel beyond.

Link strode right up to the waterfall of darkness, and charged up his sword for a good spin attack. It spun round full-circle, dispelling the darkness long enough for all of them to make it across. "Whew!" Roxas muttered, "That was certainly interesting…" Link stared at the sword. "I can't thank the Sols enough… but perhaps when we're done here I should put their energy back. The Twili need the Sols." They could all understand that much.

The room beyond contained a sea of shadows, and two unlit Sols past that. Link spotted two indents in the thick fog, and slashed through it quickly, ignoring the Twilit Vermin that attempted to attack him. He whacked the Sols good and hard, and threw them towards their respective indents. A staircase appeared and the shadows dissolved.

Sore said to him with a sly smile, "Figured out that one pretty quick, huh?" Link laughed shakily. "As if I could survive without you all." Sora smiled and they ascended.

The rest of the room proved to be little trouble (with the exception of the one moment where seven huge Zant heads appeared all at once…).

They came to a large royal outcrop where another giant waterfall of shadows flowed. Link raised both his eyebrows. "Okay, I get the fact you need style when you build your palace, but… to me this seems a little much." Midna snickered. "This is actually the same waterfall from before, we're just on the second level. Link checked. It was indeed the second level.

So he went about his business and crossed the gap between the outside of the niche and the inside, but he was the only one. The moment his feet touched the ground on the other side, the darkness began to flow immensely and hordes of Berserkers and Twilit creatures descended upon them.

"Wow, were they holding out on us or what?" Roxas muttered under his breath as they fought, his two Keyblades (Sora had found Oathkeeper's keychain in his bag and had given it to him while they had been running from the second Guardian Hand) whirling and twirling with a fury he hadn't remembered he'd possessed. Sora was much the same way, only he was using the Flight Form to have instant access to the Master Key other than attach its keychain. It also helped that being in Flight Form increased Master Key's strength… not like _that_ was any incentive, though.

The barrage halted when Link jumped down from the top of the waterfall, the Big Key in his hands. "Let's move on shall we?" No one argued as they applied any medical or magical means of healing to their stinging wounds.

The room following was tall, and very tediously navigated, and no one knew how long it took to reach the top, how many mistakes were made, how many times one fell; put it this way, it felt like forever and a day until they arrived at the Zant's door. The door to the throne room. Roxas gulped. Sora ran his fingers through his hair. Link ran a hand over the Master Sword and Donald and Goofy checked themselves rather thoroughly to make sure they were ready to fight.

This was it.

Link turned. He held up the key in a silent question. Was everyone ready? They all nodded their confirmation, and so he inserted the key and turned.

.oOo.

(A/N: This is the end. No, it's really ending…. Kidding! XD There's more. I mean this one. Just keep reading. I think you'll find the following a nice surprise.)

They came to another sea of shadows. Sora blinked.

"Well… that was anti-climatic."

They fought off the several waves of Messengers that attacked them, breaking the barrier and allowing access to the true boss door. "Okay, really, is everyone ready this time?" They all nodded sharply. Link nodded and inserted the Boss Key and walked into the throne room.

The walked up the steps in somber silence, Zant's quiet shrieks piercing th eir ears. But it was the sight they saw when they approached the landing that truly took their breath away. Roxas had an image in his mind of the bluenette, a tall, dark, and imposing figure that was always in control of himself. But now…

He was chained to a spot on the floor next to the throne where a patch of moonlight bled through. It beat down on an almost naked Saïx (he still had on a pair of black tight-fitting pants) who writhed beneath it in pure agony.

For the first time… Sora understood Saïx's weakness. And he pitied him.

Zant smiled at his place on the throne. "Well, have you come to take my pet away from me? I think not. After all, this is much more pleasing to the eyes than fighting. To see this creature in such pain… it's absolutely _delicious_." Roxas snarled. "Release him!" Zant scoffed. "Why? Because you said so? Hmph. You are denser than I thought. What do you make of your entourage, my sweet Midna?"

Midna scoffed. "Entourage? They are friends, fellow fighters. And, isn't this ironic? That we're all here thanks to the dark magic curse you placed on Link?"

Zant scoffed, and then cackles as he stood. "You speak of magic? Still your tongue for a moment, whelp, and I will tell you all of both magic and the oppression of ages…" He walked toward them, the whole of his faceplate revealing his features. It was a slender blue face that would have been considered handsome, had it not been marred by its fiery red orbs with no pupils, and gruesome, toothy mouth.

"The people of our tribe," he began grandly, "…a tribe that had mastered the arts of magic were locked away in this world like insects in a cage." He paused, watching them, scrutinizing them in his quick mind. Then he raised his arms up to the heavens as he spoke again. "In the shadows we regressed, so much that we soon knew neither anger or hatred–"

"Liar," hissed Saïx, who cried out again in a flash of pain as the moonlight pulsed and pushed him further into his anguish. "Silence, pet," Zant growled sweetly (what an oxymoron), "or you'll pay for it with your life next." He turned to the warriors before him again.

"As I was saying," he continued, his hands still in the air, "we knew neither anger or hatred… nor even the faintest bloom of desire." He snarled, twisting himself around like a corkscrew. "And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence!" He quickly straightened himself out and stomped on the ground in childish anger. Sora recoiled, blinking. "Wow, he's got some serious issues."

Donald scoffed. "You got that right…"

When he stopped he spat at Midna, "I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my impudent princess…" There was a moment of silence, but it was broken but Zant quick movement and invasion of Link's personal space as he came far too close for his liking and almost sent him falling to the ground, had Goofy not been there to catch him. He spun around the room howling his monologue for all the world to hear.

"And why, you ask? Because I would be the next to rule our people! THAT is why!" He stopped for a moment directly behind them, and they all turned to look at him standing there, in a traditional fighting pose, which he abandoned to move his hands upward and stretch far back more than humanly possible. "But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler." He shook his sleeves as he stared at the ceiling, his lust for power clearly becoming more and more apparent every moment.

"It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens… and found a god."

His faceplate replaced itself before he stood back up.

"My god had only one wish…" he said sharply, teleporting back to the throne, "to merge light and shadow… to make darkness!" Roxas frowned. "But light and shadow wouldn't make darkness… it would make…" he glanced up at the light, "…twilight."

This comment, however, was ignored.

Zant floated up high in the air, and they all sensed that a fight was about to begin. Their surroundings blurred… and became… Diababa's chamber.

Sora looked around. "Oh no… not here!" Link grinned. "Come now, we can take him!" Roxas sighed. "I think this is what Xaldin meant when he said Zant doesn't exactly play by the rules…" Donald and Goofy seemed to agree.

Then he began to rapidly shoot pink balls of energy at their feet. Link flipped backward to avoid the first barrage. "What do we do?" Sora grinned. "Hang on, I think I have a plan." He cast Aeroga on Zant, which made him lose his concentration and land on the purple sludge, dancing their way, shrieking in pain. When he came close enough, Sora gave him a few good whacks with his Master Key until he disappeared and began firing once more. "Give it a try, Link!" Link nodded.

He took out his Gale Boomerang and repeated Sora's actions, whacking him good and cleanly until he teleported away. He paused, not firing. "Is he done?" he asked hesitantly. "Guess again," Roxas muttered, watching the surroundings blur again.

They fell down, down onto a familiar platform in a heated space. The Goron Mines. It took them a few moments to recover themselves for Zant immediately began jumping along the edge of the platform, trying to get them to fall in the lava below. "How is he doing this?!" Sora cried. Link hissed as a splash of lava fell at his feet and rolled back down. "I don't care, as long as he stops!"

It had to be some illusion, though. How else could he have done this? In any case, if the heat he was feeling rolling off him in waves was any consolation, it was a damn good illusion.

Soon the jumping stopped, followed by another rapid firing session. Link and Sora, through with his insanity, completed a maneuver similar to the one they had used against the Goron that they had originally fought here, slashing he good and thorough. He teleported again and they saw the room's boundaries briefly flash and their surroundings changed once more.

They were underwater. Crap.

But Donald worked his magic quickly and reverted everyone except Link (and Sora, who had transformed into a Zora using the mask) into Atlantica forms. Roxas took Sora's shark boy form, shirtless and blue-finned. Goofy was a sea-turtle, and Donald himself was a octo-duck. Link's Zora Armor had materialized in place of the Hero's Tunic, and that was that.

But it didn't take long for Link to take charge.

The huge Zant head rose from the centre and Link applied his Iron Boots, dodging energy balls as he fired off his Clawshot and brought him to their group for a five-man bashing. Plus one of Sora's Thundaga Strikes, of course.

They worked quickly, in perfect measure, almost as if they were meant to fight this way. The fifth area they appeared in was the Baboon's chamber.

The fight was obviously of no difference.

"Okay, where next? The sky palace?" Roxas asked sarcastically. When the room transformed itself again, it was in a place they had not hoped to seen again. Blizzeta's Chamber. The snow blasted them and wind chilled them.

Zant once again preformed a feat of magic to transform himself into a much bigger version, but this did not deter them. When he slammed down on the ice, Link hit his foot solidly with the Ball and Chain. Sora, Roxas, and Donald blasted him with Firaga spells while Goofy preformed his Tornado attack. This went on for a second time, which triggered Zant's room-shifting maneuver. This time – they were sure it was the last for the double swords he now wielded – the surroundings were at the south entrance to Hyrule Castle Town. They were boxed in a red barrier, unable to escape.

"Doesn't matter," Roxas interjected, "I've got to give him props for the illusionism, but his actual fighting style? He doesn't stand a chance. We may be playing by his rules, but… so far I have actually seen him play _dirty_." Everyone noted this. Did he have something planned?

Throughout the fight, it didn't seem that way. He fought clumsily, as though he didn't quite know how to use the sword he wielded. However, this was disproved when he unleashed a similar tornado attack that slowed as his energy did, and they were able to attack him plainly for a few moments. His attacks grew increasingly in intensity and speed, most likely from frustration.

When defeated, he jumped around like a reprimanded child who didn't like what he had been told, and then he fell to his knees; the illusion breaking away. Once he had fallen down completely, his face in the stone floor of the throne room, Midna recovered the Fused Shadows from him.

They spun around her rapidly, faster and faster until she could not be seen. A bright light flashed, and Link began to smile. Hope stirred in his breast…

But he was let down. Everyone was. But no one was more so let down than Midna herself. She was still an imp when the light faded away. Tears formed in her eyes, threatening to spill. One did when they heard Zant call out, "Y-You… TRAITORS!" Midna swallowed her sorrowed and snapped at him with a witty comeback.

"Traitors, ha! You want to know why no one would call you king? It was your eyes, Zant. All saw it, a lust for power burning in your pupils… Did you think we'd forget our ancestors lost their king to such greed?"

Silence. Then Zant whispered, contentedly with contempt, "Midna… Foolish Twilight Princess… The curse on you cannot be broken… It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as the leader of the Twili will never return!" Midna's hair flapped dangerously.

Link and Midna moved in close to one another, ready for anything.

Sora and Roxas regarded them with much respect, for they, too, were ready to fight against the whole of the world for each other.

"Already he has descended and been reborn in this world… as long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!" He laughed and cackled, his insanity rising to a new level.

Link noticed a strange aura surrounding Midna. Quickly, he backed away, afraid of the unknown. But Midna's was a fury he would forgive later once he thought it over, her anguish, and her pain, would all make sense after he understood this moment. Her hair transformed itself into _several_ hands of a bright maroon color, quick, fast and beautiful. But with such beauty came a terrible power of which Zant was about to receive the angry end.

It lashed towards him with a lightning speed, straight through him. He didn't cry out – he couldn't after all – but his face was twisted in pain no one save for Saïx was sure he deserved. The hands twisted ever so slightly, and he exploded, leaving no trace of himself.

The hands returned to her, and so did Midna regain her control.

Link was shocked, the ghost of a gasp waiting behind his slightly open lips. Everyone else was simply stunned. Midna was mortified.

She held her hands to her face as she shook her head in disbelief. "I… I just used a fraction of the power that's in me now… I did THAT using only a fraction of my ancestors' magic?!" Tears from before spilled from her eyes quicker than before, and Link went to her, holding like he'd wanted to for so long. But she broke away and brushed her tears to the side again, letting them fall onto the stone.

She turned to Link. Her voice was sharp and commanding, like a leader's should be, but her expression said otherwise. "Link! Now is the time! We must save Zelda!" Link said nothing. He nodded, slowly, but his eyes too, told a different story.

Midna stared at her hands.

"The evil power Zant was wielding… I couldn't take it from him. But at least I still have the magic of my ancestors. With it, I can return the cherished power Zelda bestowed upon me…" she said quietly, and summoned a portal. "Now! Let's go! Princess Zelda is waiting!"

But a groan from behind distracted them.

"Saïx!" Roxas gasped. "Is he still… sane?" Sora ran over to him and drug him out of the moonlight, and immediately he improved just a little. He was unconscious, however, from being unable to unleash the energy of the moon's curse. Roxas frowned. "We should head for Kakariko. He can recuperate there, I suppose. Then we can negotiate."

Donald and Goofy nodded. It sounded like a good plan. So, Kakariko was their next destination.

* * *

Whew! Okay! This was interesting! One more chapter before the deleted scenes! I can't wait! I'm gonna have fun writing them! If you have any more ideas, send them as reviews, all right? And look! 45 reviews! Please, five more and I'll reach fifty! Come on, don't let me down! The fiftieth reviewer will get a niiice steamy lemon ficlet, huh? Sound good? I'm dying to write some Link x Midna here! XD

Part Two in my Thanksgiving triple threat.


	22. Hyrule Castle

Chapter Twenty-Two: Hyrule Castle

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 22

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: I don't own this, srsly. I mean, search me. :)

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

I recommend listening to DHT's 'Listen to Your Heart' while you read the first section. :) And anything Evanescence for the battles with Ganondorf. I can give you a list if you like. Helps with the reading experience very much.

* * *

They brought Saïx back to Kakariko the moment the left the Twilight Realm. It was night, now, and once Renado saw Saïx's unconscious, twitching form he couldn't refuse their request. But Link had no connection to the man (one that actually meant something to him anyway) so he briefly mentioned to Sora he was going outside to catch some air and left the room.

He had removed most of his gear, letting it drop with a thud to a table in the parlor of the inn, and in his frustration, taken off his Hero's Tunic with it. He didn't care. He needed to think freely, and perhaps he could do so with a little less baggage.

His hair was loose, flying free in the cool night wind, only his khaki pants and white shirt remained, along with his boots, though his pants were not inside.

His fingers curled slightly over the wooden railing of the inn's ground floor balustrade, his blue orbs distant. His ears twitched, and a familiar presence sparked them; tonight, he vowed, would not be a silent one. He turned around, knowing he would meet Midna's eyes.

"Midna. We need to talk."

She nodded. She smiled, remembering something Zelda had once said to her. "Now is not the time for levity, huh? I suppose… talk, we shall." She floated over the railing and sat upon it. Link shifted so he could see her again. He had made the first move, a good sign, but now he didn't know where to go with it. Midna glanced up at him and saw he had no idea what to say.

Neither did she, but she still tried.

"Link… um, I wanted to thank you. For helping me." Link chuckled. "There was once a time you would never have thanked me for anything. Just goes to show how much I seem to rub off on you." Midna's lips turned upwards into a small smile. "Perhaps. And they way you speak is almost reflective of the way I used to speak before… when we first met." Link nodded, his eyes downcast. "But… this… this is small talk. I believe there is something else we need to address… correct?" He raised his left hand and with just two fingers, brushed his skin against her right cheek. She purred softly at his warm touch.

"Yes… that, I think. This attraction."

It had been addressed. But it was still no easier talking now than it was than it had ever been before. Link groaned inwardly. This was torture, talking about this! But just kissing her out of the blue wouldn't fit the mood. If he was going to try, it had to be perfect. That perfect moment.

"I don't know when it started… no, wait, I think I know. But as for why… I've always been out of the loop when it comes to such things." He paused. "But you understand, don't you? Or maybe you don't. You're a princess, right? You probably had some suitor waiting to marry you. As if I could fill in the shoes of someone like that…"

Midna laughed. "Is that what you think? That just because I'm a princess, or well, a cursed princess, I have someone waiting for me when I get back? You don't know how much I wish I did, truly." She laughed a broken, bitter laugh that tore Link's heart to pieces.

"I didn't…" he began quietly, but stopped a moment to think. "I didn't think… at all, really. Perhaps I was just making excuses for myself. And, hey," he says as he brings her to look at him, "please, don't be sad. I hate it when you're sad. It hurts me too, you know." He smiles gently, and she smiles back, tears occasionally coming from her eyes to fall down her petite cheeks.

"I don't like hurting you either, but… I'm going to have to, in the end."

Link blinked, confused. His body was rigid for all but the hand that was slowly stroking her chin. But then it came to him, the reason why she'd never give in to his invitations of comfort, the reason why she looked at him with adoration one moment, and pure agony the next: she would have to leave him.

And it was that thought, confirmed at last, the one he'd felt all along since her almost-death, which brought the storm upon him.

"No!" he cried out, cursing anything and everything except the objects of his affections, "No, this… this can't happen! I love you too much!" He turned away from her to collapse on the ground and beat on it for all he was worth, which in his anguish wasn't very much. He sobbed, and after a while, lay beaten on the wooden walkway. He wasn't even sure if Midna was still there; perhaps she wouldn't have wanted to watch his childish display. He felt chilled, ashamed at his actions. It didn't matter if she left him or not, _they_ were ruined. But in reality, had they ever been something _to_ ruin?

A cool hand rested itself upon his right cheek, and his tear-blurry sight focused on Midna's beautiful imp face. Her helm was off; it lay discarded a foot or so past the tip of his boots. For the first time, he truly saw her hair. It was bound in a tight ponytail, and was so very fine. Link's hands, ungloved, ran through her silky tresses and stopped at their bonds.

"I want to try something," he murmured quietly. Midna didn't move from where she was, but instead gently rubbed her hand against his skin.

His eyes locked on hers sharply. "Please… don't… don't move."

Here was his perfect moment. He moved quickly, so she wouldn't, but the moment his lips were pressed against hers, she doubted that she ever could have even if she wanted to. Midna's hands moved to link themselves around his neck, and Link cradled her in his arms, though she was somewhat bigger than he thought: almost Colin's height. It was a moment of absolute silence, complete bliss. And when they finally broke away to gasp for air, she said to him:

"Can we try that again?" Link smiled, happy, sad, and bitter all at the same time. "Sure," he said quietly, the ghost of that same smile lingering on his lips, "We don't have a lot of time."

And Midna can't help but think again 'now is not the time for levity, Link'.

But neither did she care, for in his arms, nothing mattered.

.oOo.

Link awoke in his bed the following morning with Midna curled up against his chest. He glanced at her perfect face and felt tears build in his eyes, and eventually, they began to fall. These were not the tears of angst and anger, but of quiet sorrow and acceptance.

One of these tears fell on Midna's left cheek, and her eyes fluttered open. She touched her cheek and wiped the tear away and frowned upon seeing his tear-streaked face.

"Why are you crying, Link? Are you still angry at me?" Link shook his head slowly and then their gazes locked. "Angry? At you? I could never be angry at you… not anymore. No Midna, I'm crying because you're so beautiful. Because your beauty is my lifeblood and when it disappears, so shall my ability to live." She wiped away the tears from his face and chuckled.

"Who knew you could be so poetic?" Link, too, smiled slightly at the strange lie that was also happened to be true. "Indeed. I like to think if people listen to me long enough they might hear something worth listening to."

Midna smiled back at him, and this time she sealed it with a gentle peck.

A man groaning awake in the bed farthest into the shadows, however, ruined their perfect moment. This man happened to be Saïx, Link knew, so he could recover from the damage done to him by the moonlight. He'd been briefly told of the Berserker's curse and how even spending the night in the shadows might not have staved off the moon's deadly effects.

He turned his head and stilled, waiting for the moment when he could discern whether the man was still a threat or not.

Saïx blinked blearily into the half darkness. He wondered vaguely if Zant had decided to take mercy on him and throw him into some dungeon somewhere, but it was only when he realized he was in a nice, soft bed that he wasn't in the Palace of Twilight anymore. A quick look around the room told him he wasn't even in the Twilight Realm anymore. Then he met the watching wary blue eyes of a young man with ruffled blond hair.

Link scrutinized the man for a moment, and when he sensed Saïx was far from a threat to anyone, he spoke.

"You are Saïx, correct?" Saïx blinked, realizing at once that he still had no shirt on, but he did have his black pants. Even so, he kept the covers at level with his shoulder. "Yes, I am," he replied, slightly confused, "and you, I think… your name is Link." Link nodded. "You didn't seem like you wanted to kill us, so we decided to keep you here until we could decided what to do with you." Saïx watched Link glance at the empty beds behind him before turning back around.

Midna had disappeared again into Link's shadow to make the situation a little less awkward.

"Actually," Saïx began, "I want to help you. I no longer want m- Su- ugh. I don't want Xemnas's egotistical world in his own image. Most likely, after what I said to him after our last meeting, he no longer wants it either. But… I believe he's in trouble and… I want to be there for him."

He proceeded to uncharacteristically mumble something about 'because he loved him' but all Link did was smile a little. "Well, come on. Sora and the others must be downstairs. Or in the sanctuary if not there." Link rolled out of bed and picked up a white shirt, handing it to Saïx. "Here. Can't have you wandering around half-naked." Saïx frowned. "But… my coat. I need it." Link nodded, extending a hand to help him up.

"I don't know where it is exactly, but I know Roxas does."

Saïx hummed just because he could. "Roxas is whole again? Interesting." Even though he was cool on the surface, his eyes flickered with storms of many emotions. Link put a hand to his back. "Don't worry. Things will get sorted out, all right?"

All Saïx could do was nod. After all, these people _had_ saved his life.

Indeed they were all downstairs, Sora and Roxas in deep conversation one moment and in a heated make-out session the next, Donald and Goofy talking about the Organization and the King and what all of this could possibly mean to their quest to seal the worlds.

But their conversations, when they did indeed occur all at once, rested on each the same thing; where was Hyrule's heart of hearts?

Sora was the first to glance up at the stairs as they began to creak, watching Link come down the stairs with a wary, slightly timid Saïx in his wake. They all stood up and congregated around the bottom of the stairs in a half-circle, Link standing at the bottom landing of the stairs to give the man what little support he could offer.

Surprisingly enough, however, it was Saïx who spoke first.

"I know you're apprehensive about my motives here, but rest assured, I have changed enough to recognize you as our betters. After all, you beat us once, and between now and our demise you must have gotten stronger than you were before, so I very much doubt the success of beating you in a second squabble. It would be pointless. The problem of the moment, however, is several problems rolled into one: this Ganondorf.

"He has taken Xemnas, and I do not wish to think of the things he has done or might be doing to the man. He is your last and final obstacle between finding this place's heart of hearts, among other things. I wish to help you bring down the menace." Saïx's lips were as tight as his expression, hoping to emphasize his words as the truth.

Sora nodded slowly. "I guess, then, negotiations aren't really needed. Are you absolutely sure you don't plan to kill us later?" Saïx chuckled. "Did I not just make my point clear?" Roxas nudged him in the side. "Luna here's got a point. He did kind of make his intentions quite clear." Sora scoffed gently.

And while Saïx didn't particuarly like being called Luna, he too found it slightly amusing despite the obviously intense circumstances.

They began their 'trek' immediately, portalling just outside the west gate in mere moments. They purchased a few things in the castle town and took a few deep breaths. Saïx, who still had not yet reacquired his coat, stood with his hands calmly in his pockets, the sleeves of the shirt rolled up to his elbows, giving him a very normal look that actually suited him despite his strikingly blue hair. Everyone else either had pre-battle gitters, or were simply quietly keeping their nervousness under wraps.

Then finally, they entered the vicinity of the castle's yellow twilit barrier.

Midna floated in a sweeping motion towards the second pair of doors, guard posts abandoned. The Fused Shadows swirled around her for a moment before clinging to her violently like strong magnets unable to resist a strange unnatural pull. She floated there, very still, for a moment more, before being flung once across the right wall, then again to the left, the right a second time as well as the left, and once more right _over_ the right wall. Link held back a gasp. Was this… supposed to happen?

There came a great rumbling from the other side, and he let loose the gasp that had caught in his throat as a giant yellow hand came over the wall to hoist up the creature Midna had become. It was a giant, spidery gel-mass, made of pure power and Twili magic. It took an instant for Link to see it not as a creature, but as Midna, and then he could only look upon it as a terrible beauty that was fitting for her tortured but lovely soul.

She climbed higher and higher against the barrier, coming at last to stopping point, reaching back with one of her powerful pulsing arms and forming a golden spear, plunging it deeper and deeper into the force beneath her, which link knew was doomed to crumble under her supremacy.

The pyramid shattered in burst of the brightest light Link had ever seen, and as it did so, Midna's control on the Fused Shadows shattered with it, and she snapped back, landing in Link's waiting arms.

He cradled her, nuzzling his nose against her yearning skin, a tribute to the ghost of their relationship. Then, with the barrier gone, the skies opened up and let loose their torrential rain, but it bothered them not; they had a mission. However, they had a final skill to learn from the golden wolf that had padded up to the heroes. It bared its teeth, and Sora took Roxas's arm, waiting.

"What-?" Roxas spluttered. Sora grinned. "We're about to learn something, now be quiet!" Roxas promptly did so as the wolf lunged and transformed their surroundings into a fog-land that stretched on forever.

The heroes looked up, and saw the Hero's Shade standing before them.

"At last…" it said with finality, "it is time. This is the seventh and final skill that I can pass on to you." He nodded towards the keyblade masters. "Let it be said this will be the greatest skill you can obtain in this place; but do not assume you know all there is to know."

They both nodded, Roxas getting the gist of things as the skeleton fixed its gaze upon each one of them. His feet shifted slightly in the cool mist that brushed his legs, keeping him calm.

"To you all, these are forgotten skills of the ultimate secret technique, and they test the courage of the ones who wield them. Do you wish to be the master of these final skills, which can only be earned by true heroes?" All three of them straightened their stance and nodded briskly, barking a curt, "Yes!" The shade gave something reminiscent of a smile.

"Very well. Then before we begin, I will test you to ensure you have mastered the last skill I have taught each of you." Roxas looked at Sora sharply. "Ours was the Aero Blade, so don't worry." Roxas smiled and nodded gratefully to his beloved.

"Now then, come at me!"

Link glanced back. "All of us?" Sora shrugged. "If he means it, I guess. Let us perform ours first, then you go ahead with yours. What was it again?" Link's line of sight shifted back to the Shade. "Jump Strike. Now go on!" Sora and Roxas shifted immediately into their Flight Forms, and flew just a little distance above Link. They brandished their keyblades before calling out, "Double Aero Blade Blitz!" as they threw their keyblades towards their quarry. Heavily stunned by the battering of the blades, the Shade's weapon lying discarded on the ground, he stood no chance against Link's powerful Jump Strike and thus flew backwards into the mist.

It stood up, chuckling slightly. "Excellent. It seems you are certainly capable of learning my lost art. Very well. My final hidden skill for you all is… the great spin! Let it be hewn into your mind!"

Then the spirit added, "I will not show you this skill. You have mastered much, have now house the ability to perform this when you life is brimming full. Perform it without my direction, and you will have proved yourself to be a true Hero!" Link nodded as two more Shades appeared, but Link had his spin ready. The magic he'd access during the moments he could explore it privately now flowed into the Master Sword, and once he felt it full enough, he unleashed it, sending the shades flying.

Two disappeared, while the original stood up and nodded. "Impressive. Stand back, so that I may show your companions their final skill." Link did so, and the sword in the Shade's hand morphed into the same bony keyblade from before.

"Your skill is a combined effort; it cannot be performed alone. When a number of any enemy, large or small, is almost overpowering, join hands to perform a Great Spin of your own. Let all of your magical energy flow through your blades and obliterate your foes! Here, to me!" Link stood back several steps as many, many Shade's appeared. Surely they would be overwhelmed! But they were not, as Sora and Roxas joined their hands together and spun around the whole area of enemies, sheets of magical power pouring from their blade-tips.

When they were finished, they stood drained, but victorious.

"Impressive," the Shade commented as Link moved to stand by his friends. "So it is; the final hidden skills have been passed on!" Link theatrically put his sword away. Another ghostly smile appeared on the shade.

"Although I accepted life as the hero, I could not convey the lessons of that life to those who came after. At last, I have eased my regrets. You who have marched through countless foes, each mightier than the last… You who now gaze to the future with vision unclouded… Surely you can restore Hyrule to its stature of yore as the chosen land of the gods. Farewell!"

The world once more faded into white, except… there was one last thing.

The Shade's voice, now the voice Link had heard urging him to take the Master Sword, said to him, "Go and don't not falter… my child!"

Link didn't know what to make of it. Despite this, however, he felt himself wiping away tears from his cheeks, unable to figure out why he was so emotional.

Nonetheless, they proceeded to enter the castle once they were ready.

Their footsteps clacked on the cobblestones of the castle's front garden path. Trees lined the outside of the courtyard and a giant stone structure towered above them in the centre of the 'Y' path spilt. More breathtaking than this was the castle's intricacy beyond these walls, and its beauty that had gone unnoticed in their past visits. But neither was now a time to observe it either, considering the nature of their arrival.

"Two paths…" murmured Saïx, "perhaps splitting up would be a possibility?" Roxas hummed in steady agreement. "It would be faster. Sora and I could go with Saïx on the right path, and the both of you," he gestured to Donald and Goofy, "could go with Link." Donald wanted to protest, seeing as they'd always traveled with Sora but Goofy reminded him it _would_ be faster like this.

So they went, but not without being ambushed by several Moblin hordes.

"Why an ambush of Moblins?" Roxas wondered. "Either this Ganondorf isn't too bright, or these Moblins are here on their own agenda." Sora nodded, glancing back at Saïx as he followed them. "It is possible. Hey… Saïx? You sure you're okay?" Saïx raised an eyebrow. "I'm… not sure. I can survive I suppose." It was a light answer meant to brush Sora away.

Sora had an inkling of Saïx's troubles, so he decided that as long as it wasn't impairing his ability to fight, he would let the man be.

The rain began to pelt the trio a little harder, but it was just rain. This was the eastern side of the castle's exterior fortifications, but it looked to be under some reconstruction (which upon closer inspection, was actually abandoned) and instead set up as a base camp for the Moblin artillery.

"Wonderful. I don't suppose you have a bow, do you Sora?" Roxas groaned. Sora shrugged. "Sorry. But we could always torch the wooden outposts." Roxas raised an eyebrow but saw what he was getting at. "Nice. Saïx, you with us?" For the first time since they'd seen him (in Sora's case, since he'd met him for the first time) Saïx smiled. "Of course," he said evenly.

A little torching and wandering around brought them to a small makeshift stable that held two boars, complete with saddles and bridle gear. Roxas grinned. "This should be interesting. Let's see what we can do with these, huh?" he shouted back to Sora and Saïx, mounting one. Sora blinked, hesitant.

"Ah, Roxas? Do you even know how–" "Yah!"

Roxas grasped the reins and kicked the boar's side as one would a horse. However, boars apparently had different reactions to this action, and the boar promptly proceeded to squeal loudly, rear back as much as possible on its stubby hind legs, and charge straight into the wooden barrier in front of it.

Roxas just barely held onto the controls as his feet were literally ripped from the stirrups and he flew backwards along the back of the boar like silk against skin in a breeze. He didn't even care about actually controlling the beast, just not letting go. This, however, happened anyway, because his lack of control allowed the boar to take its own wild course straight into a wall, knocking loose a brick or two, which mercifully missed both the boar and Roxas. Sora blinked and glanced at Roxas.

"Uh…" Sora began, about to say something, but noticing the Berserker's wry grin. "What exactly are you going to do?" Saïx's grin only widened. "I believe XIII – forgive me – Roxas, has given me an idea. Stand back, if you will, and watch a master at work." Sora's expression of confusion only grew, but when Saïx mounted the second boar and kicked at its sides himself, he stepped back rather quickly.

Saïx, a being much like the boars themselves, felt very much at home riding the creature, even though even in his life before he ever became a Nobody he'd never ridden one, handled it as any other man that had been practically practicing since birth would a horse. He directed it straight into any tower or wooden blockade he could find, right until the last board was splintered in half. Sora chuckled as he picked up Roxas and together they walked along the path of Saïx's destruction.

"You know," he said to Roxas, still grinning, "even though he'll probably never admit it, I think he's actually having fun with this." Roxas flashed a conspiratorial smirk. "Remind me to get him a boar for his birthday if I ever remember it." Sora returned the action. "Will do, Rox."

Saïx stared at the pattern in the ground. It was the Triforce, inscribed in the dirt, a brighter green substance signifying… something. Then he glanced up at the pillars in the enclosed area and suddenly the pieces put themselves together. Then he saw Roxas and Sora walking towards him and he all but face-palmed himself for his stupidity.

"Sorry I left you," he said sheepishly. Roxas shrugged nonchalantly. "No biggie, Saïx. Really. You looked like you were having fun back there." He laughed a bit. Saïx was about to retaliate, but stopped himself, realizing that he actually had thought it was fun… for a moment, anyway.

Sora shook his head, glancing up at the pillars. "So what do we have here?" Saïx pointed to four of the pillars in a specific order. "Activating those particular pillars in that order opens the door, I think." The rain stopped beating on them and resigned itself to a light sprinkle that brought a slight but chilling breeze. Sora nodded. "I can do that with Aeroga, I think. Just watch me." He winked, and cast the spell, the slight breeze becoming a momentary gale that focused on those four pillars. The door opened, and the group retrieved their quarry.

"Hey, the map!" Roxas exclaimed, "I wonder how Link's been doing without it." Sora snorted. "Looks like there's a faster way back, as well," Saïx pointed out, gesturing to the ladder beside them.

It didn't take long to reach the main courtyard where Link, Donald, and Goofy were waiting. "You have the map?" he asked them, flipping a key in his hands. Sora nodded. "Yeah. So you have the key to the front doors, huh?" Link grinned. "Seems so. Let's do this." So they entered.

As they walked the interior, it was a dark and silent place. "Hmm." Roxas murmured, "You would think that Ganondorf would at least keep up with the place he takes over, you know? What's with the short supply of light?"

Link's ears twitched much like a wolf's would when something doesn't feel right. Then he heard it, the clank of a weapon. "Draw your weapons," he hissed, "something's coming." Their weapons sprang to their hands to meet that of several waves of Moblins and armored Lizafols. Saïx smirked. "You know, I think I like this… fighting on the other side, at least." His claymore glistened with the light that sprang into the room, as if a spell had been lifted.

Now one could truly see the beauty of the entrance hall of the castle, with its ornate furnishings of the inner balustrades and walls of glistening white stone. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, complete with crystal adornments. This was a rich castle, and even under command of a monster, it was still beautiful. Saïx knew few castles had this magnificent ability.

"Amazing as this place is, we need to move," Link commanded, Sora handing him the map. "Let's go straight through the middle and see what happens from there."

The top middle door led to a small room, which contained a single, but heavily armored Dark Knight. It was an easy dispatch with Saïx as their ally.

"I could get used to working with you," Sora teased. Saïx rolled his eyes as Link cleared the pathway up to the doorway beyond. "Again with the passageways! Sheesh!" Link swore. Sora chuckled. "Yeah, castles are like that. You want me to decide?" Link scoffed, holing the map away form Sora like a master would hold a bone from his dog. "No, no! I got this." Sora nodded slowly.

"Right, Link. Sure."

Link stared at the map for a moment, his face screwed up in an odd expression of thought. Sora was tempted to tell him not to think too hard, but finally, Link looked up and put the map in his pack. "Left, then. Let's go with left. Seems like a good way to go." So, they went left. The first hallway had two measly skull-helmeted Lizafols that fell quickly, though it was the puzzle to open the door that held them up.

The next room proved to be far more challenging. There were yet _two_ more armored Dark Knights to contend with, leaving only a nice long gash along the left side of Roxas's face, a diagonal scratch across Link's nose, and a few lining Saïx's arms. But a few Curaga's fixed that up real quick.

They took they more ornate door than the one opposite to it, and found themselves immediately in sight of the Boss Key's chest. However…

… they'd walked clear into a trap.

Lizafols were approaching on both sides of the battlement, enclosing on the surprised sextet (term for a group of six people, okay guys) Moblin archers poised above, unnoticed until the last second with flaming arrows. They all flinched, ready for the end, but it… never came.

They blinked.

"Hey, knuckleheads! Down here!"

Saïx groaned. "Don't tell me…"

Roxas glanced calmly over the battlement's furnishings. "We were saved…" Sora giggled (in a manly way, of course), "…by Axel, Demyx, and Zexion."

Link walked over to see the trio standing alongside Shad, Ashei, Auru, and Rusl, Axel holding a rather large cannon over his shoulder, and several of the others holding crossbows. He grinned. "Looks like we've got reinforcements." He waved to them. "Hey! Why don't you guys secure the rest of the castle for us, all right!" Rusl nodded. "Will do boy! Go knock 'im dead!" Link's lips spread into a grin, and he practically skipped all the way to the Boss Key. They ran up halfway around the battlement to the locked middle door, which Link happened to have any extra key for.

He would have run straight into the following room, but Saïx grabbed his arm roughly. "I'd be careful here… look." Link stumbled back, eyes glued to the holes in the floor. "Yeah… I'll do that." He frowned. "Midna? Transform us into beast forms, please? But not Sora and Roxas… they get to fly… pfft." Sora grinned, linking his hands behind his head in his signature casual pose.

There were ghosts to guide them along the perilous holey floor, and eventually they made it to the staircase on the other side of the room. Human again, they jumped across the gaps and slaughtered the Lizafols on the first landing. They walked over to.. well, what used to be the next set of stairs.

"How are we going to do this?" Sora asked, puzzled.

Someone behind them cleared their throat. They whipped around, weapons drawn, to find… Axel, standing there with a piece of paper in his hand. "Um, gee, guys. Thanks for the warm welcome." He grinned. Roxas frowned and rolled his eyes. "I could whack you for that, you know. And aren't you supposed to be down there securing the castle or something?"

Axel waved the piece of paper. "Zexy's lexicon finally decided to give us some useful info about the castle itself and how to pass the gaps in the stairs. Here, and don't thank me for trekking all the way up here to give it to you." Sora chuckled. "Okay, okay, we get it. So… are you staying with us to fight or are you going back down?" Axel shrugged. "Depends on if you want me here."

Silence.

"Oh who am I kidding, don't you all answer at once!" He grinned. "I'm coming whether you want me to or not, see? I couldn't ever miss out on fighting with you guys one last time!" Roxas chuckled. "Who said it has to be the last time?" Axel whacked him lightly upside the head as Saïx looked over the paper from Zexion's lexicon. "Don't be so sentimental. You Somebody." Roxas chuckled. "Technically, since we have hearts now, we're all Somebodies." Axel shrugged. "Heh. Maybe I'll find myself a woman when we get out of here." Roxas laughed.

Saïx looked up, finished reading. "Well, since you're staying with us, Axel, please present your chakrams. Donald, Goofy, your weapons as well." They did so, and Saïx said the spell detailed on the paper. Their weapons transformed themselves into Double Clawshot made to fit their respective owners' hands.

"Similar to the Spinners, just think of your original weapons to change them back, understood?" Axel rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, man! Get that stick out of your ass, why don't you?" Saïx looked slightly stunned as Axel took his Clawshots and zoomed across the gaps. Link, Donald, and Goofy followed him. Sora just shrugged as he flew after them, and Roxas tugged on Saïx to get him moving again. "He is right, you know. You're a little too formal, even for you."

On the other side of the gaps, they obliterated the two masked Lizafols that waited for them. They changed their weapons into the Spinners from before, with the exception of Link, Sora, and Roxas, who already had a separate Spinner of his own (of course, Sora and Roxas flew), so that they could proceed a long the tracks laid out along the sides of the (former) staircase, avoiding any spike traps along the way.

A single golden Dark Knight stood in their way. He held a huge claymore like that of Saïx's berserker nobodies, and seemed to be practically made of armor. "No big." Axel said, brandishing his chakrams, "You've got the _Flurry of Dancing Flames_ on your side." Roxas scoffed, but they were grateful to fight alongside a warrior like Axel.

The Dark Knight went down faster than Axel could light a flame.

The lock on the door fell as Link slid the Boss Key into the hole, and the chains clattered along with it. They ran straight into a biting gale, but this didn't stop them from running up the stairs to the entrance of the castle's throne room. Boots brushed the cool blue carpet and glares fixed on the man at the very end of it. But they walked forward, stopping only at the head of Courage's statue representation, which lay mournfully on the floor just aside the carpet. Beyond them, in the ornate royal emblem above, floated Zelda.

Link made to go after her, but Midna held out a hand to stop him.

Rubble had fallen everywhere. Curtains were torn; little but the throne itself hinted at the former glory of it all.

And on the throne, sat Ganondorf.

"Welcome to my castle." He said quietly, yet smugly, as if waiting for something. Saïx walked up beside Midna as she studied him. "So you're… Ganondorf." She muttered. Saïx hissed quietly. "We're here on several accounts. The first; where is Xemnas?!" Ganondorf's haughty grin widened a bit. He said nothing as he stood up, slowly, dramatically, two things about him standing out; his glowing white wound in the middle of his chest, and his sword (probably the same one that had cause the wound).

"Saïx," Midna said quietly, "patience." She looked back up at Ganondorf, bearing her little imp fangs. "I've been dying to meet you, you know."

Saïx, for all intents and purposes, did not want to be patient. Though he'd never call the man his beloved in public, that monstrosity had him somewhere! Hurt, dying, or worse: dead. Saïx paled.

Ganondorf chuckled as if Saïx didn't exist. "Your people have long amused me, Midna. To defy the gods with such petty magic, only to be cast aside… how very pathetic." He flexed his left hand towards them. "Pathetic as they were, though, they served me well. Their anguish was my nourishment. As was that pitiable excuse for your _Organization's_ leader." Saïx growled, his Berserker anger spiking.

"What?! No! You give him back!" Ganondorf's grin became something more maniacal and insane. "Truly? Very well." He snapped his fingers and a portal of darkness appeared. Xemnas himself walked out of it, strides long and drawn to his full height. But when Saïx met his eyes, he found that he couldn't. They were raw and devoid of emotion; blank.

Saïx forgot about his anger and looked back at the group. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "but there's something I need to do." Axel waved him on. "Go do it, man. Bring back Mansex safe and sound, all right?"

Saïx's lips turned upwards into a brief, bitter smile. "I'll do that."

Then he pounced on Xemnas, tackling him into the space between spaces, the portal closing up behind them. Ganondorf's crazy look left him, and he was calm once more.

"Well, now that's out of the way… what was I saying? Oh yes." His gaze focused back on Midna. "The hatred of your people bled across the void and awakened me. I drew deep of it and grew strong again. Your people had some skill, to be sure… but they lacked true power."

He walked a little to the left, still watching their group intensely. Then he stopped, and he glanced up at the prone figure of Zelda above them. "They lacked the kind of absolute power that those chosen by the gods wield."

He turned to them quickly.

" He who wields such power would make a suitable king for this world, don't you think?" Sora huffed. "As long as it's not you!" Roxas looked at Sora sharply. "Sora…" he warned, "careful now." Link paid no attention to his outburst, but instead focused on the hand bearing the Triforce of Power, which glowed brightly over them.

"Ha! Such conceit!"

Heads whipped around, unsure of who had said the words. Then Midna spoke quickly, "But if you are one of the chosen wielders of power, as you claim…" Midna crossed her arms and then flung them behind her defiantly, shouting, "I will risk everything to deny you!" Axel whistled. "Wow. You'd do that? I did something like that once; I didn't exactly live through it, just so you know."

Heads whipped around. He shrugged. "Hey, not to say I'm all for it, I'm just, you know, that last voice of reason, all right?" Midna smiled, realizing his unvoiced concern. "Thank you for worrying, Axel." He chuckled. "Never said I was." She hummed quietly, turning back around. "I know."

Meanwhile, Ganondorf had just had an epiphany.

"Heh… Shadow has been moved by light, it seems… how amusing." Midna's eyes snapped to behind Ganondorf, where bits of him were breaking off and floating upwards. She gasped quietly.

"Very well," he barked, "Deny me, then! Yes, try to deny me… you and your little friend."

He turned around as he looked up at Zelda, reaching out for her as if the crush her where he stood. Midna, in a sudden burst of emotion, rushed up to protect her in whatever way possible, Link powerless to stop her. It was here, then, as Midna floated before the princess, army and legs splayed to defend, Ganondorf dissolved completely into bits of Twilight that hovered in the air before them. Then they attacked, moving at so fast a speed no one could tell what was happening.

When the onslaught was done, Midna seemed to be unharmed. She checked herself over briefly once, twice, before turning to Zelda. She knew something about her, that something was wrong, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't harm the person who saved her from death. So she let her hands let a moment against her pale skin, instantly knowing this was the wrong thing to do.

Zelda's skin, now greenish white and cracked with blue-purple lines of dark power, rippled with it, and as she opened her yellowed cat-like eyes, this power threw Midna back, far back, out of the throne room. They rushed to check on her, but Link, Sora, and Axel found themselves boxed in.

"Uh oh," whistled Axel, "this can't be good." Sora half whimpered, half scoffed. "Since when is it ever good?" Axel thought for the briefest moment. "Oh. You have a point there."

The Prin – wait, scratch that – Ganondorf walked toward them, using Princess Zelda's body as a vessel. He surveyed his catch, but seemed satisfied with his quarry. "Hmm. Two heroes and a flame-mutt. Could have been a better clutch, but you can't have everything, now can you? All of you are faithless fools who dare to take up arms against the king of light and shadow…"

Axel cleared his throat. "Pardon me, but currently, you're not exactly the right gender for that at the moment."

Ganondorf/Zelda scowled. "Good that I'm dealing with you first, mutt. So you choose… and so you shall feel my wrath!" He/She floated upwards, sword drawn, dress billowing in the wind. "Try not to look up the dress," Axel commented, "I'd rather not know what's up there." Link raised an eyebrow. "Are you _ever_ serious? Like, really? At all?"

Axel shook his head, grinning slightly. "Why, with all you solemn dumb-butts, _somebody's_ gotta be there for comic relief! Otherwise people would go nuts!" Sora waved back at him. "Too late." Axel shrugged. "Well, you were always a lost cause. Now let's get this show on the road, huh?" Sora nodded.

First thing to happen: a huge yellow triangle appeared under their feet. "Yipes!" Sora cried, "Get out of its radius, it's power charged!" Indeed, just after the last foot left the triangle, it blasted power upwards that would have torched any of them pretty good. "Good spot there, kid!" Axel complimented. "Yeah, well you can thank me later-ah!" Sora had just enough time to hit back the ball of light he'd sent towards him, and when she hit it, it bounded towards Link, who had enough common sense to send it flying in the opposite direction.

As it thundered towards Axel, Link couldn't help but say to Sora, "Strange, it feels like I've done this before." Sora shrugged, and they watched as Axel's hit back at Ganondorf had electrocuted Zelda's body. "Hey, you know, I don't actually think we need to lay a hand on her. Just rebound back the power." Link nodded. "Looks that way. C'mon!"

So it was.

He had only one more trick up his sleeve, which was to occasionally fly after them with the sword drawn like a spear towards their hearts, but it was no problem. They were pumped up and at their prime energy levels, fresh for battle. Ganondorf, even in Zelda's body, had no chance of winning.

Two more rebounded balls was what finally did it.

The barrier lifted, and everyone who had been gathered around Midna wisely moved out of the way as she summoned the Fused Shadows. Link, Sora, and Axel did the same, and Ganondorf tried to react, but he just didn't have the strength. Midna's monstrous Fused Shadow hands took her quickly, set her on the throne, and banished Ganondorf's presence from her body.

Midna reverted back to her imp form and leaned against Link's shoulder, smiling conspiratorially at him. He couldn't help return the grin. As Ganondorf was reassembling himself, they waited, again battle ready for anything he had up his sleeve.

Except… that Ganondorf was transforming himself into a huge beast!

But they knew they could take him. "Transform all of us, Midna!" Link barked, "Do it quickly!" She nodded. "I gotcha!" The beast Ganon reared, the huge white gash signifying his weak spot. "Well damn, does he have to make it so fucking easy?" Roxas shrugged, his tan lion ears twitching. "Careful, now. He might hear you and actually make it harder on us. So keep your trap shut, huh Axel?" Axel chuckled. "Oh, who gives a damn. I want a fight!"

Sora rolled his eyes. "You're such an adrenaline junkie, man." Link huffed. "Guys! I think we might need to shut our traps soon so we can, you know, actually defeat this guy?" Axel nodded. "Sure, sure." He turned to Roxas. "Did he just make a joke?" Roxas hummed quietly. "Tried to, anyway, Come on, let's get rough."

"Bring on the fire, kid."

This time around, things were quite a bit harder. Even with Donald and Goofy back in the fray, Ganondorf in beast form was a lot harder to predict than his human counterpart. When he wasn't using his own portal system of red and blue (blue being the sign he was about to come out of said portal) or using the portal system to distract them from seeing him come from the ceiling, he was running, constantly running.

Only Midna herself could bring him down, really, at least when he was running.

They hardly talked, most of the time they had to rely on their bestial instincts to keep them alive, but who were any of them to complain, at least they did. It took a grand total of five times this time to bring him down, thrashing and squealing like a stuck pig (ironic, seeing as his beast form did sort of look like a pig).

And then… he just disintegrated. Just like that.

"Well," Axel said as he dusted himself off, "that was interesting. I wonder how our Berserker in doing with Mansex." Sora giggled. Roxas just rolled his eyes, said appendages locking on Link as he trailed after Midna, who was approaching Zelda. "Come on guys. You two, Donald. Goofy." They all followed Link and stopped at the end of the steps before the throne.

All of a sudden, Midna started glowing. Link watched her, completely in rapture of her beauty. But this was Zelda's power returning to her, and Midna felt drained from the exchange. Zelda, now awake, stood up, and approached Midna slowly.

"Pr-Princess… I… I…" Midna began.

"Say nothing, Midna." Zelda ordered gently, closing her eyes. "Your heart and mine were one, however briefly… such suffering you have endured…" She glanced up at Link. "That the both of you have suffered." Link's cheeks flooded with red, yet he could not bear to take his gaze any from her own.

Midna sighed, smiling despite herself, for all her fears had been relieved.

Zelda was about to say more, but something caught her eye behind Midna, and they all turned around to see what it was. It was, in fact, the spiritual remnants of Ganondorf, burning forcefully, lusting for the blood of only one, lonely individual.

Wide-eyed, everyone, even Axel, stepped back slowly like cornered animals, all except Midna, the brave, brave soul.

She summoned the Fused Shadows.

Link was the first to see what se was about to do, and he gasped. "Midna, no! Please don't do this!" he cried. She glanced back, flashing him a bitter smile. "I'm sorry, Link. I love you." He moved to stop her, but it was too late.

Midna transported them all elsewhere, away from her battle with Ganondorf.

.oOo.

They ended up at the centre of Hyrule Field, the skies bright, but dark at the same time. An ill wind blew that tasted foul in their mouths; victory was not theirs just yet. This worried Link a great deal, but he did his best not to let on his fears to the others, especially Zelda.

Suddenly, a cry escaped the castle, and the whole of it became enveloped in the smoke of an explosion. Zelda took a few steps, but stopped short. "No!' she breathed, "The villagers!"

A dark horse reared upon its hind legs on the horizon; Ganondorf.

In his hand: Midna's helm, crumbling to dust. His evil cackled rattled in Link's heart, turning his momentary shock and sorrow into a virtuous anger. "Princess! We must do something!" she nodded. She touched his sword hand, which gleamed with power, and pressed her other hand to her chest in prayer.

"Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world… in my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!" Axel almost whimpered as Ganondorf and his ghost riders were almost upon them. "And do it quickly," he muttered to himself. Just in the nick of time, they all disappeared in a flash of light.

Elsewhere, in a sea of golden power, the four light spirits gathered their power. They presented her with three precious arrows made of this golden power, and she grasped them tightly, looking down at the ground.

Slowly, she looked back up, all seventeen years of her youth showing upon her face.

"Link…" she said softly, "chosen hero! Lend us the last of your power!" Link stared at the ground. "What… will that do?" She smiled. "Just have faith. We shall prevail." He met her soft gaze and nodded. "Very well." He showed her the palm of his left hand, holding the Master Sword in his right. "Take what little power I have… so that we may… prevail."

These last words let his lips like the last bits of water in a desert, slowly and painfully, though they meant the world for all their lives. But they had been said. But what really surprised him was that Zelda _bowed_ to him. What did _that_ mean?

He knew once she stood back up and took his left hand with her own, that he would never know.

Suddenly Link and Zelda were mounted on Epona, Donald and Goofy were on Spirit (Sora wasn't quite sure how it happened) and Axel had his own, chocolate brown steed. Sora and Roxas, of course, could fly. "We'll distract the ghosts!" Goofy offered. "Yeah!" Donald shouted, "You go take out that big palooka!" Goofy smiled. "Sure is nice to hear you say that about someone else, for once." Donald chuckled sheepishly. "Aw, shucks…"

"Come on," Axel rushed them, "we don't have a lot of time. They're really on the move now. Yah!" He took the reins of his horse and led them on, Roxas holding Oblivion and Oathkeeper out and ready much the same Sora was doing with his Master Key. Link looked back in Zelda's general direction.

"I'll try to slow Ganondorf with my light arrows!" Link nodded briskly.

Then the game began.

However, it wasn't a very long one. With the ghost distracted by Axel and the others, Ganondorf was easy for Link to keep in his sights and within the reach of Zelda's bow and arrows. It took only two (with added emphasis of two accompanied Spin Attacks) Light Arrows to bring him down, Ganondorf tumbling down his horse as it rode off, standing up with his sword gleaming.

They all stopped to watch, and they dismounted all their mounts, Sora and Roxas setting their feet to the ground.

Not surprisingly, Ganondorf chose to taunt him with a laugh; but they seemed used to it, and so it rolled off of them like hot air. "An impressive looking blade…" he commented, referring to Link's Master Sword.

"But nothing more." Then he drew his own.

"Would you here my desire, Hero?" Link huffed. "You would tell us anyway." Ganondorf's insanity clicked up just a tad. "Right. This is my desire, then, to take this foul blade… and use it to blot out the light forever!" Sora smiled knowingly, and odd expression for his face. "You know, you can't destroy the light. There's always some bit of it in every darkness. Even yours, I would suspect. You just can't find it anymore."

Ganondorf huffed. "Silence, whelp. To me, boy," he said to Link, "we fight. We shall see what prevails this day; good… or evil."

Sora made to follow Link, but Axel stopped him.

"Kid, this is Link's fight. Let him do this." Sora's eyes narrowed, but he realized the redhead was right. They had no choice but to let him do it. Lightning flashed and a barrier revealed itself from reaching Link should he have need of them. So their battle began.

Ganondorf was definitely a dirty fighter.

He fought was more than just his sword, kicking at Link, who always managed to dodge them just in the nick of time, or punching, though he did manage to land a few of those. Link wasn't invincible.

But Link was a valiant fighter, and a skilled swordsman.

He parried many of Ganondorf's blow and landed several himself, but they had been at it for at least an hour and both men still weren't letting up. Only the occasional taunt passed from Ganondorf's lips: otherwise, there was just silence and the clashing of steel.

Blood flew from nick by nick, staining the grass blades one by one. It was clear there would be no slaughter here; this was a test of endurance and skill.

Link burned with an energy he had never known, a fury to avenge the death of his love, Midna. "I'll kill you for that," he hissed as they performed their deadly dances of the sword, "what you did to her." Ganondorf only responded with a light, "It was her fate to die." And he moved on, pushing Link back down into the dirt.

Then it began to rain. It beat down on their wounds and seared them, a hurt that was continuous as their battle.

Time… was almost nothing here.

Then it happened; the big event that was the turning point do-or-die of it all: Ganondorf was on one side of the barred off area, and Link the other. Swords drawn, muscles tense, and poised; Ganondorf made a dash. Link saw it coming quickly enough to meet him, and he brought up his sword for a mighty struggle against the taller, broader man. For several moments, her really thought he was going to lose. But… when he thought of Midna, of her sweet beautiful face and how he would never see it ever again, he felt that strength fill him once more as he pushed him back and slashed right across his chest in one, swift motion. The man fell backwards into the mud.

He coughed, and made to get up, but a wave of rain thudded against him, stinging him. Link looked at his sword, then at Ganondorf. Then he made his decision.

He ran, and quickly plunged the Master Sword deep in Ganondorf's chest.

.oOo.

Saïx landed against Xemnas's chest in space between spaces with a thud.

For a moment, he wondered if Xemnas was going to hurt him, but he never did. He wondered why, but then he realized, he was the one in control here. "Xemnas?" he asked quietly. This jolted the man under him, and he tore himself away, standing up quickly.

"Don't talk to me, VII! It's your fault that we're finished!" Xemnas summoned his Ethereal Blades.

Saïx stood back, but realized, he had to face his Superior without fear, and, without his claymore. He hadn't realized he'd summoned it, so he dismissed it. Xemnas, still under Ganondorf's puppetry, was confused.

"Xemnas…" Saïx whispered, "listen to me. I want you to know something." Xemnas snarled. "Get on with it so I can fight you. Or would you rather I simply execute you?" Saïx smiled bitterly. "My beloved Superior," he said, noticing the slight tick of Xemnas's lips as he said it, "I wanted to say that I forgive you for your former intentions, you know, of that other world."

He walked closer to Xemnas, whose Ethereal Blades had disappeared in a flash of light. "What other world, VII? What _are_ you talking about?" Saïx walked closer. "It'll all make sense, at least, if you let me do one thing." Xemnas huffed. "Ge-Get over with it then, VII." Saïx laughed. "All right, then. Here, you always wanted to do this to me but you could never get my consent." So he put a hand against Xemnas's left cheek, and brought him in close for a kiss. The moment their lips brushed against one another's, Ganondorf's feeble hold on Xemnas shattered.

He stumbled a bit, and when he realized what was happening, he wondered vaguely if this were nothing more than a dream.

"I'm afraid it's no dream, my friends, but I'm going to have to end it."

Saïx whipped around, startled. Xemnas managed to grasp his shoulders and bring his beloved close to him, as if the act alone would protect him. "Nice to have you back, Superior," Saïx whispered. Xemnas's grip tightened on Saïx a little. "I thought I told you to call me Xemnas."

"I'm warming up to it."

"A touching reunion, I'm sure," a bloody Ganondorf snapped as he stumbled after them, "but that's all it will be. Say good-bye to the world, the both of you. If you're lucky I might just bring you back as slaves."

He made to drain them of their very selves, but someone stood in their way.

"What?" Ganondorf gasped. "No! Not… not you!" Indeed, it was the last person they thought they'd ever see. Zant stood between the two of them and Ganondorf, and he was holding a rather large sword.

"Not, today, Ganondorf. Away with your traitorous filth." He slashed the scum right out of the in-between, and then he turned to Xemnas and Saïx. He bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me, friends, for not seeing my mistakes earlier. I… most sorely beg for your forgiveness, Saïx." Saïx nodded. "I suppose… you are forgiven." Zant rose, and nodded to them both. "Return to Hyrule Field, where the others are waiting. I am what remains of Ganondorf's life, and I'd like to finish him off myself… alone, forgiven, and at peace."

They were not fools, they knew what action he spoke of.

"Very well. It is nice to know he will end this day." Xemnas muttered. Zant smiled. "I hope it is and day for beginnings as well as endings… tell Midna that I'm sorry as well. Hers is the only forgiveness I will have to do without."

The duo nodded, and then stepped out of the space between onto the green grasses of Hyrule Field.

.oOo.

"Do not think this ends here!" he shouted, "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!" For a moment, he stood there, swaying a little, almost ready to fall.

This was when Saïx dragged a weary Xemnas from the in-between, the portal closing behind them. Eyes locked upon them for a moment, but snapped back to Ganondorf when they heard the cry. His eyes had turned white, and he fell backwards, the hilt of the sword turned upwards to the sky, and then the eyes of the tyrant closed one last time.

Before anyone could question anything, before anyone could speak, four spheres of light appeared in the distance. Link noticed it and turned to watch. Everyone else's gazes followed.

It was the four Light Spirits; and when they left, a familiar form appeared on the horizon. Link took one step, then a second, and a third, then he broke into an all out run, tears flying from his eyes. But when he came over the hill and glanced up to see her to make sure it was really, truly her, he stopped.

His heart stopped.

The cloaked figure stood up, a crown adornment glinting in the light of the setting sun. Link's eyes trailed the markings of the Twilit language, his heart restarting and beating faster than ever before.

They trailed upwards as the figure turned, glimpsing smooth feminine flesh that sent blood rushing to his cheeks, and hair the color of fire.

Then he met the eyes of the person before him, and he stumbled up to them until they were hardly and inch apart. She smiled at him. "What? Say something!" She giggled quietly, no longer a sharp tinny sound, but a melody of chimes. "Am I so beautiful that you've no words left?"

Link's tears fell faster, but these were tears of a third sort. Joy.

"Actually, yes. I have a few. May I kiss you, beloved?" Light, lovely laughter. "Do you have to ask?" A short, sweet chuckle. "Always, Midna. Always."

* * *

Oh, wow. Thirty bloody pages… sheesh. I feel like my hands are about to fall off now. Well, I hope you like the triple feature as a Thanksgiving gift, (I live in the U.S.) but don't bet on it happening ever again. XD

Especially with a chapter that's THIS long. Gah. Over 10,000 words...

On another note, Saïx really does need to get that stick out of his ass, :D


	23. Deleted Scenes :: Blooper Reel

Chapter Twenty-Three: Deleted Scenes/Blooper Reel

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 23

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Um, still don't have that time machine yet. I'm working on it. :D

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

Deleted scenes or inventive gag reels from the past twenty-three chapters with one scene from each chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Hehe… all hail strip poker. Technically it's 'Go Fish' really. XD

* * *

_Scene 1 – Cat Got Your Tongue, Axel?_

Link ruffled his half spiked blond hair. Someday, he could feel it, aside from Rusl's offer to see Hyrule Castle, someday he would be on his own, and free of all limitations. That was what he lived for… freedom…

"Hey, he is kind of cute, Rox."

Somewhere, off to the side, a voice yelled, "Cut!" Sora and Roxas, who are standing next to Axel, step away ever so slightly. "What?" Axel asked, "Did I sent something of fire or something?" Sora shook his head. "Um, Axel?" Roxas said gently, "This is a single scene. You're supposed to read the script and not give any insight."

Axel coughed. "Insight?" Roxas rolled his eyes. "None of your little comments. Save your comic relief for the scenes your actually in." Roxas stood up on his tiptoes, kissed the man on his left cheek and left.

Sora couldn't help but giggle at the man's dumbstruck expression.

.oOo.

_Scene 2 – How Does This Work?_

Link handed the Fishing Rod to Sora. "You said you wanted to try, right?" Sora nodded. "Right. Okay."

Sora took the rod and held it lightly in his hands, glancing down at it.

He looked up at Link, then out at the water.

Then from the water, he looked at the rod. His gaze trailed the length of the rod as if marveling at the craftsmanship of the rod, but this was not the case. The silence was becoming unbearable, and the cat that was purring in between Sora's legs was a _little_ creepy.

For good measure, he looked at Link once more.

"Um, so… how do I use this again?"

.oOo.

_Scene 3 – Slip at the Spring_

"No matter what happens on your journey, don't try to do anything… out of your league, please?" Link smiled. She sure did try. He walked a little closer to her, and she looked hopeful.

He raised his arm to brush his fingers through her light hay-colored hair. "You're beautiful, you know that, right?" She blinked innocently.

"Beautiful? I don't think so." She leaned over just a little bit to spot someone behind them. "And, uh, Link… you didn't answer the question." He was confused for a moment, but gathered his bearings quickly enough. "Oh, oh, yeah… sure. Sure, I'll be safe."

"Safe… as in no sex with Midna, right?" Ilia piped.

Link turned very, very red and stepped backwards into the spring water, coming up a very soaking wet Ordonian. Everyone was laughing. "Sheesh, it's not that funny guys…" he folded his arms, pouting cutely.

Midna wrapped her arms around the young man, light kisses trailing his neck. "Yes, love. Yes it is." Link just rolled his eyes.

.oOo.

_Scene 4 – Don't Taunt Me_

"If you need me, just give me a call. I'll try not to be too annoying." "Too late," Link muttered. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

Many days later… (Vikki: Giftfic spoiler; eep! XD)

In the dust and sand lay two figures. Sora and the others were dead asleep, or so they hoped anyway. Link's blue eyes trailed the contours of his partner's tender flesh, wishing that this wouldn't be the last time he'd see them. Midna's hand came to rest on his cheek. "What's wrong?" she asked coyly. He smiled just enough to hide its bitterness.

"That this may be the last time I'll ever see you… like this." Midna grinned, her hand trailing down his arm, then his side… coming to rest with her slender fingers gracing the smoothness of his backside.

"Well… we still have a few more days of travel. Just try not to be too annoying." He raised an eyebrow. "Or what?"

She giggled, and as she moved closer he let out a low moan. She had her way with him until he was nearly at his peak and… then she stood up. "What–?" She looked down at him, shaking her head and smiling. Finally she said:

"Or I'll leave you like this… every night." Link groaned.

.oOo.

_Scene 5 – I Don't Give a Damn_

Marluxia looked up to see the figure of Zexion leaning against a wall upon a high platform. A sneer crept upon Marluxia's face. "Really now, Zexion? I don't recall you as the type to treat your betters that way." If Zexion was offended, he didn't show it.

"Marluxia, I was always your better to begin with." He leaned over the empty space with a haughty expression gracing his features. "But since the current motives of the Organization no longer interest me, quite frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."

"Zexion!" a voice groaned off to the side, "That's not your line! Dagnabit… rewind the bloody tape… cut!"

Zexion just rolled his visible eye and snickered.

.oOo.

_Scene 6 – Fire_

There was a friendly condescending laugh from the man, who removed a glove and crawled over to the fire. "Look. In a lucid dream, you can do anything you want in the world you want. Normally you couldn't touch fire, right? It would burn you." Sora nodded. "Um, still waiting for an explanation of all this, but pretty much everything you're saying is making sense."

The man laughed, and flipped his hood. It was actually Roxas, the thirteenth member of the organization. "You're still the same as ever." Sora frowned. "I thought you never left." Roxas shrugged. "I did and I didn't. Now let me finish, and then things will start making sense. Sora nodded. "All right. Go ahead." Roxas smiled, finally getting Sora's approval.

Then he stuck his hand in the fire.

. . .

"Ahh! Axel! You turned on the fire, didn't you! Gah! Mother… Mmm – pusbucket! Ah, uh… ngh…"

A redheaded authoress walked in for an explanation but saw a certain pyromaniac being chased by a rather angry blonde. She looked down at Sora. "Do I need an explanation?" Sora shook his head. "No, I think this is pretty self explanatory here."

.oOo.

_Scene 7 – The Secret_

"The Gorons at Death Mountain are giving the villagers some trouble, sir. Renado told me that you were the only one he knew who had gained their respect… I wanted to ask you how."

"I see… so Renado told you about that…"

The mayor stroked his chin as he thought. "Well, it's true, I did defeat the Gorons in a contest of strength and earned their trust… with the help of a little secret." Link raised an eyebrow.

"What secret might this be?"

"Well… it's a secret, whaddaya think? I can teach it to you, but you can't tell anyone that this is how it's done!" Link frowned. "Sora and his friends will have to know, but they're trustworthy people." "You and them, then. Well… can you?"

Link nodded. "Of course, Mayor. Now tell me, what is this… secret?"

The mayor leaned in _real_ close, almost too close for comfort. "Ya really want to know, kid?" Link gulped, almost completely flat against his chair. "Umm… uh… sure?" His voice had obtained a rather high-pitched, squeaky quality to it. The mayor grinned.

"Okay, here it is… to make the Gorons submit to ya… ya gotta wrestle 'em… naked."

Link whimpered, pale as a sheet and only just barely conscious. After a moment of so of rather awkward silence, the mayor backed off and laughed uproariously. "Um, sir?" Link piped. The mayor stopped laughing after a while and then wiped some tears from his eyes. "Hoo, boy. I never thought I'd get a kick out of something like that since I was your age! Man! Heh, heh, well, I'll tell you one thing, that ain't the secret. The wrestling part is, but not the part where you have to do it naked."

"Th-That's nice to know," Link whimpered, regaining a little of his actual voice back. The mayor stood up, holding out a hand to Link. "Come with me and I'll show you the real secret."

Link did not hesitate to grab his hand, though he was quite sure that the mayor had just scarred him for life.

.oOo.

_Scene 8 – Fyrus's Chamber_

Inside, it was very dark, and they could faintly make out the dim outline of what they could only assume was Darbus's transformed alter ego, Fyrus. Xigbar was standing right next to the giant chained creature, a small flame hovering at the very tip of his right sniper rifle. He was examining it carefully as they walked in, and didn't look up as the door locked behind them; he simply smiled.

That smile faltered, though, as a rather mortified look crossed his face.

"Fuck. I've forgotten my lines."

.oOo.

_Scene 9 – Partners_

With that, he left them standing there, looking at each other. "We're working together?!" They both asked.

Saïx grinned to himself. "Yes. And while you're at it, try and erase the traitor that's run away from us won't you?" Then he disappeared into the darkness, leaving Larxene and Vexen to stand there and glare at one another.

Larxene was the one who broke first. "Sheesh, did they really pick a doozy. Well, I don't really care. Why? Because you are going to keep your mouth shut and do everything little thing I say. That includes calling me Thunder Queen."

Vexen raised an eyebrow. "I thought I couldn't speak."

Larxene growled. "Well, you know what I meant! Now let's go rat out those traitors from their holes and be done with it!" Vexen scoffed. "Actually, I don't know what you mean. You never seen to make any sense no matter how long you talk. I know you think you know everything, but, sorry to say, you don't." She stuffed her right first against the air. "Damn you, Vexen! You don't know everything either! Gah!"

Then she walked off.

Vexen chuckled to himself. "Well, well. It seems that if I antagonize her long enough, she runs off. I absolutely must test this theory again…"

.oOo.

_Scene 10 – Hot_

Sora tilted his head, still confused. "But really, aren't you hot in that coat, Roxas?" Roxas turned his head at his name. He blinked, and looked at the coat, warm from the sun. Then, he winked, flashing a grin at Sora.

"Oh yes, very, very hot. Care to cool me off a little?'

Sora blinked, then blushed furiously, burying himself in the covers. Off to the side, Axel lay rolling on the grass, unable to contain his laughter.

.oOo.

_Scene 11 - Knitting_

_Axel? Knitting? Somehow, I just can't picture it…_ Roxas huffed. _Neither can I. I think he lied, but well… the burnt smell in the socks that I could never get out of them tells me something._

A long time ago in a castle far, far away…

"Damn! How is it these things are so hard to knit! Gah! It sounded easy in the description!" Axel scratched his head. "Serves me right for even trying. Who was I kidding, attempting to make a pair of socks? Might as well have asked Xemnas to do a tap dance for the kid… sheesh."

He threw the bits of unfinished socks onto a pile near the wall. They landed where they were intended, only with not so intended results. Axel's hair stood on end.

"Crap! He'll know I've been in here!"

Once the fire was finally put out, he picked up the unfinished bits and the socks that had been burnt halfway up the sock. "Hmm. Maybe, I don't need to make a whole sock…" he paused, thinking. "Maybe that tap dance would have been better. Would've certainly been a whole lot more interesting, that's for sure." He chuckled to himself.

.oOo.

_Scene 12 – You're Enjoying This Aren't You?_

Not even the full moon could've kept the _Luna Diviner_ calm that night.

Ping!

"Ahh!"

Dong!

"Gah-ow!"

Whack! Whack! Whack, whack, whack!

Off to the side, watching the scene, Link leans next to Midna and whispers, "You're enjoying watching Zant get beat up by a blue haired bishounen, aren't you?" Midna giggled and nodded fervently.

"Just don't let _him_ hear you say that."

.oOo.

_Scene 13 – Fangirls_

"Um… hello."

Three pairs of eyes stared at him dreamily. "Hello my good sir," said one, red-haired, wearing a white shirt, a red jerkin, pants of the same color, and brown traveling boots. She was quite young, judging by the rounded shape of her flawless face. To any other man, she was beautiful.

But, come on; this was _Link_.

The other two, both blond-haired, one wearing a sky blue frock and white trousers, the other in a similar, but green and brown ensemble, both wearing similar boots like the other one, batted their eyelashes at him prettily. These girls, too, were quite as young as their redheaded companion, and would be considered beautiful by any other man.

Link just wanted to move past them and get on with his life.

"Is… there something you wanted to ask me?" The girls nodded. The one in red was obviously their leader, so naturally she spoke first.

"Ah, yes. Are you… unattached?" Link blinked. Unattached? As in… without a girlfriend or a wife? It was a known fact – at least among himself and his companions – that he was definitely unattached. But, to save his life, he spluttered, "O-Of co-course I have someone."

The girls pouted and moved in closer like vultures in for the pickings. "But, but sir… we love you!" He paled. "Din help me." He then proceeded to bulldoze through the girls and make a beeline down the cobblestone streets.

All three wheeled around in his direction before glancing at each other and the redhead declared, "Get him!"

Sora sighed. "Looks like Link's got some fangirls…"

"Really _vicious_ fangirls…" Demyx whistled. Sora snickered.

.oOo.

_Scene 14 – Orgy_

"Cut!"

Axel looked up. "Looks like our scene's over." He glanced at Roxas. "Hey, nudge Sora. We have another scene in half an hour." Roxas looked at Sora. Then back up.

"Actually, I have a better idea."

Axel grinned devilishly. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Roxas smirked. "How 'bout a quick orgy? There hasn't been one since Zexion, Demyx and Xigbar had a little too much to drink last New Years." Axel chuckled.

"I was thinking about something a lot more cruel, but that sounds good too."

Roxas licked his lips, with all intents and purposes of using them.

.oOo.

_Scene 15 – Behind the Bushes_

(Xemnas, glancing up at the author's note, speaking to Saïx)

"You know love, I think we should change this…" Saïx grinned. "The manic butt-sex or the double pairings? I could always go find Marluxia… and maybe Vexen if you're feeling frisky."

Xemnas grinned. "Now _that_ is a _wonderful_ idea. Do go find them, please."

Saïx chuckled. "And you'll supply the bushes?"

"Of course."

(Imagine what you like, for the scene to follow is too epic for words XD)

.oOo.

_Scene 16 – First Time for Everything_

Vexen stood beside Axel.

"Nasty little buggers, aren't they?"

Axel snorted.

"Never thought you'd say that about something created from ice." Vexen scoffed as well.

"Mmm. First time for everything, I suppose."

.oOo.

_Scene 17 – Famous Last Words_

Deep in Faron Forest, Sora stood at the edge of the gorge. "Okay, I've done this before. Just… glide." The magic stirred within very briefly, until he glanced up at the side of the huge tree that ballooned outward. It could be jumped on, used as a propellant of some kind.

He grinned, an idea striking him.

_This __can't__ be good._ Roxas murmured.

Sora climbed up onto the tree stump Rusl's golden Cucco sat on and he turned to the others, waving. "Hey! Look what I can do!"

Zexion and the others got a brief glance of Sora jumping off the edge of the cliff, jumping off the side of the tree, and then – falling.

Apparently, he'd miscalculated his jumping distance.

There was a long, drawn-out yell, and then a rather faint splash. After a few moments, they walked forward, staring into the mist, when Sora finally said softly, "Um… oops?" Zexion face-palmed himself. "Someone go fish him out of there, won't you?"

Link sighed, pulled out a length of rope, and began to scale down the cliffside.

.oOo.

_Scene 18 – Go Fish_

It was very dark in the boss room, but several rays of light cascaded through the shadows from three circles in the ceiling, letting air circulate throughout which left the room nice and cool.

There was no sign of Luxord.

"Hello gentlemen," a smooth accent floated through the gloom, twisting around the light and running helter-skelter in the air. Zexion's eyes narrowed. "We know you're there Luxord. What game do we have to play to send your ass back to oblivion?"

_Six hours later…_

"Got any threes, Luxord?"

Luxord glanced at his hand. "Nope. Sorry." Zexion growled. "You're bluffing!" Luxord raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet? If you lose, you take off your pants." Zexion, who was just barely clad in his pants and underwear, blushed furiously. "Um, no. No I don't."

Luxord nodded. "Good boy. Roxas, any kings?"

"Um… no. Go fish."

"Damn!" This was going to be a _long_ night.

.oOo.

_Scene 19 – Fantasy vs. Reality_

"Midna," Link growled, "for the last time, no! I am not taking my pants off this time. I'll get just as clean with them on, all right?"

Midna sniffed and pouted, the pupils of her eyes bulging cutely.

"Bu-But… please? For me?" She floated up to him, only a few inches from his chest. It was easy to tease him like this, to forget about her situation, knowing that he didn't know about it. She loved to watch him squirm, even if not under her touch, and she was drunk on the sound of his musty labored breathing that often got her all hot and bothered late at night.

Not that she minded. She just really wished she could be beautiful enough (and tall enough, for one thing) to make her sexual fantasies into realities.

Link scoffed and pointed sharply toward the cave exit.

"Out, Midna! I mean it!" She sighed, and then looked back up at him again. "Oh, well… only because it is you who asks, I suppose." She flashed a rare, bitter smile, and floated off.

In her mind's eye, Link stood there staring after her, stiff with mild shock.

.oOo.

_Scene 20 – Blue Tiles_

When Sora and the others weren't looking, Link tested one of the blue blocks he'd seen around the room. It looked as though you could walk across, but…

Oh, well, what the heck. It couldn't hurt to give it a try.

_Half an hour later…_

The wind whistled through his hair as if through a giant fan. Well, he supposed wind itself, given enough propulsion (or in this case, enough propulsion of the object falling), was all just one big giant fan.

"Okay, any time now…" he muttered to himself. He wondered vaguely when Sora and the other noticed he was gone, so that they might fly down and rescue him.

He glanced downwards, hoping to see some sign of the waters of Lake Hylia.

"It can't be that high up… can it?"

WHAP!

Water surrounded him and stung everywhere. He saw a glimmer of light skim above him, and he headed for it, decided that was the direction of the surface. So it was, and he came up to land, grasping it and breathing harshly.

Well, now he knew not to step on those blue tiles at least, so it wasn't a total waste…

Sort of. How embarrassing.

.oOo.

_Scene 21 – Don't Toy With Me_

Link sighed softly. Their scene was over and done with, so they wouldn't have to work again for a little while. "Midna?" he called, "Hey, c'mon, let's go get a drink!" He breathed happily for a moment or so, before realizing something.

The room was completely silent. "Midna?" he called again, this time a little less than enthusiastic.

He growled softly. "Midna, don't–" He paused. Something behind him had made the slightest of movements. Being the warrior he was (albeit one at the mercy of a certain redheaded authoress) he snapped to attention and whipped around.

He had expected to see Axel behind him or Roxas (Sora, even, though that was highly unlikely) but he did not expect to see a giant intimidating Guardian Hand looming over him. Bit of background info about Link: anything that had a floating/disembodied/shadow hand involved was high on Link's list of phobias. Not to say there were a lot of them (there were in fact, very few, and could be counted on less than ten fingers), but they were usually things that really and truly scared Link to his core.

So, what did Link do when faced with this dilemma? Turn tail and run, of course.

The Guardian Hand was quick; too quick. It beat him to the door faster than he could run to it, and so he ran the other way back to the Hand's stand (no pun intended). It beat him here again, too quick for the speed of such a creature. However, he finally remembered something that certain redheaded authoress had mentioned to him about the Hands; they were remotely controlled.

Link stopped dead in his tracks. He searched the shadows for any form at all, and he found one. Sitting, crouched over the controls like a giggling schoolgirl with the greatest little nick of gossip in the world, was Midna.

Link, thoroughly annoyed, scared out of his mind (and in need of a new set of trousers) he strode over to Midna and swiped the controls out of her hands. She chuckled sheepishly. "Don't. Toy. With me." He said shortly, waving a very angry finger. Then he left, headed for the changing rooms to pick up a new pair of pants.

Midna, who should have been rather down from the scolding, looked off to the side of the room. Axel came out of the shadows, holding a sleek-looking video camera.

"Well, did you get it?" she asked. "Axel grinned. "Every moment. Let's go post it on YouTube, shall we?" Midna burst into another fit of giggles.

"We shall, my fiery friend."

.oOo.

_Scene 22 – Axel Sings a Song_

Someone behind them cleared their throat. They whipped around, weapons drawn, to find… Axel, standing there with a piece of paper in his hand. "Um, gee, guys. Thanks for the warm welcome." He grinned. Roxas frowned and rolled his eyes. "I could whack you for that, you know. And aren't you supposed to be down there securing the castle or something?"

Axel waved the piece of paper. "Zexy's lexicon finally decided to give us some useful info about the castle itself and how to pass the gaps in the stairs. Here, and don't thank me for trekking all the way up here to give it to you." Sora chuckled. "Okay, okay, we get it. So… are you staying with us to fight or are you going back down?" Axel shrugged. "Depends on if you want me here."

Silence.

"Does _anybody_ want me here? Like… at all?"

Roxas raised a tentative hand. "Umm… I do?" Axel rolled his eyes, and looked off to the side. He grinned, and then snapped back to 'reality'.

"Well, since we're all so eager to speak up, how about a song?" Roxas blanched. "For the love of Kingdom Hearts, please no!" Sora raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What?" Roxas pulled up Sora's hands to his ears. "Whatever you do, keep them covered." Sora was about to object, but then Axel began to sing, rather loudly and very, very off-key.

"_I'm all alone, and there's nobody here beside me…_

_My problems have all gone; there's no one to deriiiide meeeee!!"_

Sora winced, then kicked at Axel's ankle to trip him up and send him toppling to the floor. Roxas tilted his head. "Was that really necessary?" Sora snorted. "Did you _really_ want to hear the rest of that song?" he chuckled. "It's funny, I always thought he could do everything flawlessly… I guess not."

Roxas shrugged. "Well, that's not entirely true. He _can_ sing. Rather well. Just… not that particular song." Roxas proceeded to roll his eyes and stare in the opposite direction of Axel.

Sora hummed quietly. "Well. I think we should wake him up so we can get going." "Hopefully minus the singing," Roxas added.

Sora laughed. "Yes, hopefully minus the singing."

* * *

Some of this stuff is completely random, I know, but some of it, you have to admit, is actually pretty funny. Axel singing… anyone guess where that song is from? I'll give you a hint: green.

Anyway, yeah. I have two oneshots I promised to write for two people before I can get anywhere with the last chapter of this story, but feel free to reread any of the other chapters at your leisure. And of course, this has been such a wonderful experience for me, with all my faithful reviewers along for the ride. I love you all. Well, see you next chapter in the epilogue!

Oh, and remember… beware Luxord's _Go Fish_ strip poker of doom! XD


	24. Epilogue: It's All About Heart

Chapter Twenty-Four: Epilogue – It's All About Heart

* * *

Title: The Legend of Zelda: The Beast Within

Chapter: 24

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Disclaimer: Seriously, do I look like I own this?

Description: Zelda/Kingdom Hearts crossover. Sora, Donald, and Goofy land in Hyrule. At the same time, Twilight begins to blanket it. Will our heroes be able to aid a simple farm boy named Link in conquering the Twilight, or will they all perish in the shadows?

**Author's Notes-**

(sniffs) It's over… this is like the first multi-chapter fic I've ever finished in less than a year. I'm really proud of myself. Anyway, I hope you all have enjoyed this wonderful ride, and will enjoy this touching, final installment of the Legend of Zelda: Beast Within.

* * *

Link's fingers trailed Midna's human-like face in the setting sun. He shook his head, still baffled by her transformation. "How did they…? Was it because of Ganondorf's death?" She shrugged. "I suppose. You like what you see?"

Link choked on his breath with a laugh.

"Oh, Midna. You're the same as ever. I suppose even beauty such as yours has limits on your personality." She scowled playfully. "Hey! I resent that!"

He laughed again and shook his head. "Hey, come on. If we stay here much longer the other will wonder what's taking so long." She grinned again. "What? Would you like to give them a show?" Link was stunned, but recovered quickly. "Now, now my love. Let's not rush things."

She sighed. "I'd like to remind you that we don't have much time to dawdle with this gift we've been given. If possible, I want to be with you every night." Link was puzzled. "Every night? We're not… traveling through the portals?" She shook her head and pointed to the sky.

"I destroyed them all so that we might have a little more time together. If I'm right, it's at least a week's journey back to the Arbiter's Grounds. But… that's all the time I can buy for us both. No more than that." She stared intensely at the dirt as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "Come, put on a smile for the others. We still have to find the heart of Hyrule, but no one knows where it is."

Midna gave a start. "Oh! Actually… I do. Where's Sora?"

Link connected his arm his hers and they walked arm in arm back to where Sora and the rest of the group stood. Princess Zelda came up to Midna, and they bowed to each other in respect.

"Well, it seems as though peace is to return to this world," Zelda observed, "all thanks to you." Midna blushed lightly, but did not let this hinder her words. "Oh, you flatter me, Princess. I actually need to say one more thing to help out a friend. Sora? Come here please." Sora stood in front of her at once. He looked her over.

"Is this what you normally look like? You look… very nice." She chuckled. "Why thank you. But this is not what I wanted to tell you. Do you remember when you asked me about Hyrule's heart?" Sora nodded vigorously. "Are you saying you know where it is? Well…?" He was trying his best not to push her too quickly.

"Sora, you're standing in it."

Sora blinked, and everyone backed away as the point of the Keyblade began to glow brightly. A key-shaped indent in the grass that swayed in the sweet wind glowed along with it. Then, a short burst of power shot from its tip, entering the heart and sealing it away from the Heartless forever.

"Hmm," Xemnas hummed, as though realizing something.

"What?" Saïx asked him. Xemnas surveyed the lush landscape. "To think… we searched for the Keyhole in all the wrong places… it was in the exact heart of the place, if one looked at a map, and after all, aren't these fields burdened with Hyrule's namesake?" Saïx blinked, thinking for a moment. "You're right. There's so much of it, too. I guess it goes to show that it doesn't have to be in some conspicuous shut-off place to be the location of a world's heart."

Saïx smiled. "I wonder if the same goes for people." Xemnas purred. "And hearts? Does it matter?" He nuzzled his nose into Saïx's hair, and then turned the bluenette around in his arms for a consuming kiss.

When the light show finished, Sora stared at his Keyblade in wonder, then back around to all of his friends, new, old, and in-between. It felt good to be surrounded by them all in such a moment of triumph. Princess Zelda approached him, Link and Midna walking in step behind her, their arms linked.

"I take it that we won't be bothered by those creatures anymore?" Zelda asked politely, ever so delicately.

"Well," Sora began, hesitant, "they won't take over Hyrule and completely destroy your home, but… well, there's always a chance they can come back. But don't worry; we have ways of knowing if you're in trouble. We'll come back if you need help, right guys?" He glanced back and Donald, Goofy and the others.

They all gave a (more or less) hearty cheer of, "Right!"

Zelda smiled. "We cannot thank you enough."

"Aw, shucks!" Goofy muttered. Donald quacked softly and blushed. Link stepped forward. "When will you be leaving?" Sora frowned. "Well, I don't know. We were hoping to… well, you know. See that Midna got back to the Twilight Realm." Midna nodded. "All right. That sounds reasonable. We'll have to travel on foot because the portals are gone."

Her voice was light and airy, as if holding back some emotion. Sora had the distinct impression that Midna herself had put the portals out of commission just to have a little more time with Link. He didn't mind. They probably needed it, the both of them.

They decided to wait until the next morning to start out from the Castle Town, after having bought six sets of Tents (one for Midna and Link, Sora and Roxas, Saïx and Xemnas, Zexion and Demyx, Donald and Goofy, and of course, Axel and Princess Zelda who decided they would share) and enough provisions for the weeklong journey.

It took three days to reach the lake.

The first day was spent with idle chitchat mostly between the paired groups such as Demyx and Zexion, and those without were silent. At least… it was so until Axel decided to strike up a conversation with Princess Zelda, of course.

"So what do you make of Link?" Zelda seemed stunned. "Whatever do you mean?" Axel tilted his head. "You look after him like a lovesick puppy, Princess. You're good at hiding it, but still. Do you like him?" Zelda tried her hardest not to scowl, and when she could not, she looked the other way. "I… I suppose. He is rather handsome. But I'm not about to take Midna's place when she's gone; he'll want some time to pursue other favors, probably. And to wrap his head around things."

Axel reproached her gently. "Now, now. That sounds like an excuse to me. Sure, why don't you give him some time, but eventually you should let him know that you have feelings for him. Unless you want to marry someone else and quite possibly pass up the opportunity to help him heal and obtain your soulmate in one fell swoop then, sure. Go for it."

Zelda scowled again, thankful that the both of them had some distance from the others and could not be heard.

But, Zelda did realize by the time the night of their second day of travel had come upon them, that Axel's words did hold some grain of truth, however much she did not wish to acknowledge it.

They sat around the fire that night in a huddled circle, everyone chattering anxiously about what they'd do when they got to the lake. "I'd really like to take the Cuccos again," Demyx said, "but I don't know if everyone else would like to go." He turned to his partner. "Zex? What do you think?" Zexion, who had been thoroughly engrossed in his Lexicon, looked up sharply. His single visible eye surveyed the group, and for a while it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything until finally: he closed his book.

Moving closer to the fire, he said, "We should probably look for a way to traverse the mountains downward on foot. For the ladies' dignity of course." Axel snorted. "Wow, was that a joke, Zexion? I didn't know you had it in you." Zexion chuckled and proceeded to grin. "Why, of course, Axel. I've been saving them all, just for your embarrassment. Oh, excuse me, I meant _amusement_."

Everyone laughed, even Zelda, while Axel sat there, fuming (quite literally, in fact).

The next night Zexion had enough courage to strike up a conversation on his own. Inevitably it was about a way down the mountainside to the lake, but near the time they'd set to retire, Demyx took Zexion aside and praised him in a shower of kisses for his improvement.

Link and Midna had been sneaking off these past nights when everyone was asleep, left to their own explorative devices.

Often, if one woke up late enough, erotic cries could be heard, and one would just smile slyly, thinking, "It's about damn time," and go back to bed. After all, they had only seven nights in which to love each other in the most complete ways they could; it was only natural for the both of them to want what they did each night.

The fourth night (the first in the desert) was their most adventuresome one, however.

Sora and Roxas were talking to each other in their tent, exploring the realms of their relationship as far as they were willing to go when they heard Midna's girlish moans from somewhere off in the sands.

"Link… I want you to tease me. You can do that, right?"

Link's heavy breathing came to their ears and Roxas was definitely aroused from the sound. He groaned. "Damn… we should listen to them more often…" Sora chuckled. "No, you're just a pervert. Want to keep listening before I take care of you?" Roxas rolled his eyes but they both wanted to hear what was going on so he quickly shut up to listen.

"Ah… sure. Right." Where they were, Link was grinning devilishly. He moved in for the kill, ravishing his beloved with kisses in all areas of her body, nipping occasionally until her moans became loud and needy.

Roxas rolled over and moaned into the pillow.

"I can't take it anymore, Sora… just do it, all right?!" Sora grinned. This was a far cry from what Roxas had first been willing to do the first night of travel. They weren't quite ready for actual carnal consummation, but a blowjob wasn't too far off…

Link lay on the sand, roughly spent. Midna sat up, having taken her fill of him, and stroked his member, which twitched. Link's eyes snapped open. "Midna, what…?"

She held a finger to his lips.

"Just trust me. I can't leave you without pleasuring you at least once. So stay as quiet as possible and enjoy this, all right?"

It was an adventuresome night indeed.

For Saïx and Xemnas, their biggest challenge was actually talking to each other when they were alone, for each night of their journey. Xemnas was always the one to start it, and finish it, the first few nights. The nights in the desert, though, changed things.

On the fifth night, Saïx had his head propped up with his right arm, trailing the delicate brown skin of his beloved Superior. He had taken great lengths to remember to call him Xemnas instead, but part of him secretly wanted to call him his Superior again.

"Xemnas?" He asked, his wistful, content expression replaced with one of polite inquiry.

Xemnas nodded briefly, wondering why this sudden change in his Berserker had come about. "Yes, Saïx?" Saïx turned on his stomach and propped his head up with both arms. "Well, I was wondering…" he said, looking away a little, "I know you don't like me calling you Superior and such, but…"

Xemnas nodded. "Go on…" he prodded gently.

Saïx nodded. "Well, maybe I could still call you that when we're alone? Just the both of us? Because I find it quite…" he searched for a word, any word. Then he had it. He grinned devilishly, moved in closer, and whispered to Xemnas when he was hardly an inch away, "… arousing."

Needless to say, Saïx got his wish that night, and every night thereafter.

Yet…

Even with all the improvements, the laughter, the merry-making… with each night, a certain sadness within grew darker that seemed to haunt them even as they tried desperately to shake it. (Axel and Zelda had to make do without the ways their companions had of smoothing over the hurt – excluding Donald and Goofy)

They stood in front of the deserted Arbiter's Grounds, somber and silent. Midna, arm in arm with Link, took the first silent step onto the threshold and entered the former prison.

It wasn't long before they reached the Mirror Chamber.

Link's heart was heavy. Despite what he'd said the night before, no matter how much his words would come true, this moment was still too much to bear. But, he'd kept his gauntlets on.

Midna stood before them at the entrance to the Twilight Realm, the portal glowing brightly just as it had the day they'd set out to destroy Zant.

"Well… I guess this is farewell, huh?" Midna said sheepishly, shrugging.

Link offered a brief smile before looking down at the ground. Only Saïx, Xemnas, Axel, and Princess Zelda could stand to meet her gaze. "Light and shadow can't mix, as well all know." Demyx scowled. "Do you have to put it that way?" Zexion rubbed his partner's back gently.

"But… never forget there's another world bound to this one."

Sora and Roxas looked up, first at each other, nodding in understanding, then finally at Midna.

"Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin," Zelda said quietly, "One cannot exist without the other. I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world… they left it because it was their design that we should meet."

"Perhaps," piped Roxas, "and the fact that all hearts that wander into one another leave a lasting impression that cannot be shaken. A friendship that goes beyond the complicated processes of the hearts themselves and endures into forever." He nodded to Axel, who winked in return. He knew full well what the blonde was getting at.

Zelda nodded. "I believe so as well."

Midna, having been silent through it all, looked up at Zelda. "Zelda… your words are kind… are your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you… then maybe you'll do all right."

She turned to walk away, stopping only when the clear steps appeared as she stepped onto the sensor pad.

"Thank you…" she said softly her eyes locked on Link, "Well, the Princess spoke truly: as long as that mirror's around, we could meet again…" He looked up, not daring to be hopeful, but simply to meet her gaze. A single tear fell from her cheek and floated into the air. She pushed it forward, and then rushed up the steps.

At the last one, she sighed. This was even harder for her.

"Link… I… remember me."

He nodded. He knew what she meant. He put his hand over his heart. So did she. Remembering… would be enough. It had to. She stood there, statue still as the tear came in contact with the mirror's centre, cracking it. The familiar, brilliantly beautiful light shone, taking her away piece by heartbreaking piece.

"I love you," she whispered.

Then the mirror… shattered.

Link trembled, struggling to stay standing, until finally he clung to Princess Zelda's shoulders out of desperation.

"It'd gonna be okay, Link," Zelda told him. Link pulled enough of himself together to meet her eyes and he was stunned by her words. "How can you be so sure?" He asked her timidly. She just smiled. "I just know. It's all about heart; yours, and mine." She pointed to his heart, then her own. He relaxed and then nodded.

"It's gonna be okay," he said with finality.

The both of them turned to the former Organization members, Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "So, you're all leaving?" Zelda asked politely. She glanced at Axel, who nodded. Perhaps not now, but she knew Axel was right. Sora nodded in response to her question, but he was all smiles despite the situation.

"Yeah. But we'll come back to visit someday, right guys?"

Again everyone gave a hearty, "Right!" and nodded to emphasize. Zelda nodded. "May the goddesses be with you."

As they turned to leave Sora and the others knew that they would always be with them no matter what, their hearts connected over all of the worlds. Truly, they would always be there for one another.

Forever.

* * *

Ah! Finally! It's done! Whoo! Wow…

Anyway, back to what I was saying earlier, I really can't thank you all enough. I just love it when I complete a story, especially one this long… Now, I've written two oneshots for The Writer Who Writes, and xXxBloodDeathLovexXx, two of my favorite reviewers. The first is a Midna/Link lemon and the second is an Axel/Roxas (AkuRoku) lemon. Here they are: (just take those bits of the URLs and paste them into yours if you want to read them, since I can't post the whole thing)

Midna x Link – It Will Be Enough

.net/s/5593844/1/It_Will_Be_Enough

Axel x Roxas – Goodbye

.net/s/5589938/1/Goodbye

If you would be so kind as to review either of these fics (plus this one! :D) it would be much appreciated. Although just you reading it makes me happy too. ^_^

And so, I bid you adieu. Oh! Wait! I need you all to go to my profile and vote on my poll of which story I should work on next! Please, pretty please, with a cherry on top? The polls close on January 1, 2010, so hurry, hurry! Kthnx. Love you all. Au revoir, my friends, and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. (Or whatever it is you celebrate at this time of year. :3)


End file.
